Hearts of the Broken
by Hime Temari
Summary: She was his greatest weakness. He was her greatest strength. Separated by the destruction of their clan, life becomes a game of survival for the three remaining Uchiha children. But in a strange twist of fate, their destinies collide in a battle of wit
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters except the characters I invent. This story is purely for amusement purposes. **

Note: **Okasan** means mother and **Otosan **means father.

**Prologue**

The cell was damp, cold, and above all, dark.

I sat against the wall, resting my head against the cool cement.

Why hadn't they killed me on the spot?

It would have been better that way. Of all the people to be captured by, why did it have to be _**them**_?

I shifted my position a little, but my muscles refused to respond as they should and I found myself slumping sideways to the ground.

I let myself fall, not caring anymore.

I had no strength left. My arms and legs were bound together so tightly that my bonds cut into my flesh each time I tried to move. There was no way I could escape.

The darkness was calling me.

I longed to give in to its call, to give up and drift away in a sea of never ending black. I didn't want to face him like this, not when I was so weak.

I had fought too hard to become stronger.

My eyes involuntarily closed and I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper into oblivion.

Finally, the peace I so desperately sought was within my grasp.

I was vaguely aware of the sound of approaching footsteps. The sound cracked through my conscience and echoed in my head. It was a signal that the time had come.

My moment of death was here.

The wooden door opened and swung inward, revealing a tall, dark silhouette that loomed over me. I allowed my eyes to flutter closed again, not caring what happened now. The figure remained rooted to the spot for the longest time until I began suspecting I had been dreaming.

But then he moved and I realized my dream was a reality. I sensed rather than saw him approach and crouch down next to my bruised and battered form.

"Was it necessary to go so far?"

His voice was smooth and calm, giving away nothing of what he felt, if he even felt at all.

"We couldn't risk her escaping until we had interrogated her. She put up quite a fight you know." Another voice answered, but this voice was nothing like the first. This voice was cruel and harsh sounding, and the sound of it made me shiver slightly.

"She is weak. It shouldn't have taken this much to subdue her. See to it that she is given some nourishment, otherwise we might not get what we want out of her."

"Wouldn't you rather see to her, _Itachi-__**san**_?"

I opened my eyes just enough so I could peer up at him through my lashes. He was staring down at me, his ruby red eyes baring nothing of his soul. The mere sight of them caused a wave of fear to spread over my body. I felt a scream trying to push its way up my throat, but I pressed my lips firmly together to stop myself.

I couldn't show anymore weakness in front of him.

"Don't be foolish, Kisame. I have more important things to do than take care of this pathetic wretch."

Not once did the pitch of his voice change. It always remained the same, level tone. It would have been better if I could hear what he was feeling, but this was Itachi we were talking about; the _**genius **_Uchiha.

I saw a flash of black and watched as Itachi and Kisame marched out of the cell, their black and red coats flapping behind them, showing off their Akatsuki colors.

As I listened to their retreating steps, I couldn't help feeling that there was yet more pain to come.


	2. 1: The Beginning

1: The Beginning

**1: The Beginning**

It all started when I was just a little girl.

I had been born in the month of October, a year after my elder brother Itachi.

In the years that were to follow, it was to become very obvious that despite the small gap in our ages, there was a phenomenal difference in skill and character.

But back then it didn't matter to me.

I still loved him.

My parents favored Itachi. Of course they never said so out right, nor did they ever give me reason to doubt their love for me, but their actions towards my elder brother proved this to me.

Sometimes, when the other women in the village came round for tea, my mother would forget I was there and brag about her genius son.

I always sat out of the way, quietly listening to their chatter.

Not once did they mention _**Itachi**_.

It was always just "that genius" or "the Uchiha heir" or even "Fugaku's son". Despite being only 4 years old, I understood my brother better than anyone else, and I knew how he hated being treated like a tool. Later I was to resent my family for pushing him over the edge with their selfish actions.

But right now I respected my parents and decided that they must know best.

"Your boy is becoming so strong under Fugaku's training. He should be ready for the Academy soon."

"Yes he is quite talented."

"But what about your little girl? Isn't she about the same age as Itachi?"

All eyes turned to where I was sitting. I avoided their watchful eyes, choosing instead to stare at a particularly dark spot on the wooden floor. My mother glanced over at me and smiled.

"Yes, she is, but she is still my little girl. I don't want her going through that rough shinobi training just yet."

And just like that I was pushed into Itachi's shadow, forced to sit back and watch him excel at everything he did while my mother kept me at home with her and baby Sasuke.

Any other child might have resented the fact that they were being shunted aside in favor of their elder sibling.

But not me.

I still loved him.

I slowly crept along the ground, trying my utmost best not to alert him of my presence. He had specifically instructed me not to follow him, but how could I resist?

I giggled slightly at my own brilliance.

I had done as he said and stayed behind when he went out to train, but what he didn't know was that I had discovered a shortcut to his secret training grounds a while ago and I now used this path to catch up to him.

Itachi was silly to believe I would stay away.

I could feel him nearby. I didn't know how, but there was just something about him that I could sense.

I paused suddenly, my thoughts drifting back to _okasan_. She had asked me to help with the chores today. I felt bad for leaving her, but I saw so little of Itachi these days.

I just wanted to be close to him.

Besides, she had Sasuke to help her.

I finally approached the clearing where my elder brother trained. He was already there, seeing as he had gotten a head start on me, but that was ok. If he had started training, it meant he wouldn't notice me so easily. I had spent a lot of time training myself to be stealthy.

He wouldn't catch me this time.

A gust of wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves and thus hiding the sound of my movements as I got as close as I dared. I stopped behind a bush and peered through the branches.

There, in the clearing, stood Itachi. His eyes were closed and I knew he was concentrating. I could see the glint of sunlight bouncing off of the several kunai he held between his fingers. Drawing my eyes away from him for a moment, I noticed the white targets strategically placed all around the clearing. The angles of the targets seemed near impossible to hit, but I knew if anyone could do it, my brother could.

He moved!

Gliding through the air with graceful agility, his dark eyes snapped open and the kunai were released. I watched with my breath held as the silver blades sliced through the air until each and every one of them hit their mark. Slowly releasing my breath, I marveled to see that each kunai had penetrated its target dead center. My mouth stretched out into a proud grin.

I looked back to Itachi.

He was standing with his right side facing me.

How beautiful he was!

How perfect!

One day I would make him proud too.

"I thought I told you to stay at home, _**Kaede**_."

_Drat! Busted!_

I slowly rose up from behind the bush, my head hanging forward, allowing my long black hair to shield my eyes from him.

I wasn't ashamed at disobeying him.

I was ashamed of being caught.

He remained silent, watching me with what I knew was a stern gaze. I sighed and raised my head to look into his eyes.

I was slightly surprised at how dark they looked and this caused me to draw in a sharp breath. For a moment, an odd look passed across his face before finally his gaze softened a little and a faint smile crept across his face.

"I'm sorry _Nii-san._ I wanted to watch you train."

"You know how Okasan and Otosan feel about this."

I gritted my teeth, turning my face away so he wouldn't see my anger. I wasn't angry at him. No, it was my parents I was angry with.

They simply refused to take me seriously. They humored me by allowing me to attend the Academy, but whenever I asked otosan if he would train with me, he would simply laugh and say I needn't worry about all that.

It was probably because of my inability to use the clan's most powerful asset – the Sharingan.

Itachi had been younger than me when he first started activating the Sharingan. Now, at age 12, he was already able to activate it at will. Not only that, but he was at Chuuin level, whereas I, at age 11, was still trying to graduate from the Academy.

"Nii-san, won't you please train me a little? Please! I promise not to tell Okasan," I pleaded, hopeful that he would do as I asked. But he simply shook his head and turned his back on me.

I felt my heart sink.

"It's because I'm not a genius like you," I muttered under my breath, but he still heard me because his body tensed.

I immediately regretted my words.

Of all people, I should have known how he detested being called a genius, a prodigy, or any other fancy name.

He loathed labels.

I hurried out from behind the bush, moving over to stand before him.

"Nii-san, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Please do not be angry with me," I begged. He looked down at me, his eyes expressionless, his face betraying no emotion – if he felt any at all. Then he reached out and flicked my forehead with his forefinger – hard!

I flinched and covered the mark with both my hands. He always did that when he was reprimanding me.

"Let's go home."

And even though he didn't say it, I knew he had forgiven me.

About three days after my 12th birthday, my father approached me.

"Kaede, prepare yourself. Tonight you will be joining me at our annual meeting with the village elders."

He seemed so deadly serious that I didn't dare ask why I was to go along. During dinner, my mother seemed tense, and every time she passed me she would pat my head.

Just what the heck was going to happen?

Just before I was to leave with my father, my mother approached me.

"Be strong my little girl," she whispered as she pulled me into a tight embrace. I didn't understand her, but I nodded my head.

My father led me to the shrine where the meetings were held. Already a whole bunch of my uncles were there, all of them seated on the ground. My father moved to take his place at the head of the group with me at his side. The men in the room fell silent, their eyes focused mostly on me.

My father began.

"Greetings to all. I have included my daughter in our meeting tonight. It is time for her to learn the truth."

"Fugaku, she is but a child, and a girl no less."

"She is the same age as my Itachi when he heard the truth. She is a strong girl; she will be able to handle the truth."

I listened to the conversation, desperately trying to figure out what they meant.

What truth were they talking about?"

My thoughts were interrupted when they started with a kind of attendance record. It seemed that only two people were absent from the meeting.

Itachi and Shisui.

My father vouched for Itachi, saying that ANBU was keeping him very busy. As for Shisui, no one knew where he was or why he was absent. I found this to be very strange. My cousin Shisui was very dedicated to the clan. He wouldn't purposefully do anything to disappoint them.

The group of men moved on to the next topic, but I found it difficult to pay attention. None of their idle chatter about the village interested me. It was all just business.

Finally my father got to his feet and beckoned for me to join him. I did as he asked and noticed that everyone was watching us. I started to feel a bit nervous, but refused to allow myself to show any uncertainty in their midst.

My father moved over to one of the tatami mats on the far right and I watched in amazement as he lifted it up to reveal a dark stairwell.

My father grabbed a lantern and descended into the darkness. I stood near to the edge of the stairwell, following the descent of the little light my father carried.

"Come along Kaede," he called, his voice echoing strangely. Glancing up at my uncles, I saw them nod, their faces all bearing grave expressions.

I wished Itachi were here.

Taking a deep breath, I began the steep descent. After a moment I caught up to my father who had stopped to wait for me. Staying close to him, we continued down the stone staircase until we finally reached the bottom.

There wasn't much to see. The room we came into was simple, and on the far side stood a single table. My father lit the two lamps on either side of the table and stepped aside to reveal the scroll hanging against the wall.

"Kaede, there is much you have to learn about our clan, and this scroll will tell you everything."

I remained rooted to the spot for what felt like forever.

What kind of truth would I learn? Did our clan have some deep, dark secret?

I stepped forward and carried on walking until I was planted before the scroll.

I began to read.

That day I learned many things about our clan, and the history behind our name, but what stood out the most was the evolved form of the Sharingan, the Mangekyou Sharingan, and the horrible method behind acquiring this feared technique. It was considered forbidden, and thus far only one person had ever managed to acquire this special _dojutsu_.

Not long after that day, I was to discover another person who had crossed the forbidden boundary.


	3. 2: Destruction of the Clan

2: Destruction of the clan

**2: Destruction of the clan**

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Where are you?"

I marched around the Academy training grounds, looking for any sign of my younger brother. The sun was steadily sinking and still he had not returned home.

"Little brat. He's going to make us miss dinner."

I rounded a corner and saw a small figure standing near a large wooden stump used for kunai and shuriken throwing practice.

"Sasuke! There you are."

The spiky-haired figure turned and gave me a tired but boyish grin that made me instantly forget I was angry with him.

"Sasuke, what are you still doing out here? Okasan is worried about you."

"I'm sorry _**Nee-chan**_, I was busy training."

I walked closer and wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

"You push too hard, little one."

"I'm not little! I'm 8 already!" he argued.

I laughed and pulled him along with me.

"Alright I'm sorry. Can we please just go? I'm hungry."

As if to agree with me, his stomach let out a low growl which made us both start laughing.

"How did it go with your missions today?" he asked me while we walked side by side down the dusty path to our village. I shrugged.

"Just the same old, boring D-rank missions. Nothing worth mentioning. I wish people would take me more seriously, like they do with Itachi."

"Will Itachi be home for dinner tonight?" he asked eagerly.

He asked me every night, and every night I gave him the same answer.

"I doubt it Sasuke. Maybe some other time."

Despite how much he hated being called a genius, a _**genius **_is exactly what Itachi was. His rapid promotion to captain of the ANBU had been remarkable for someone his age. But because of that, we saw very little of him. On the rare occasions that he trained away from the ANBU squad, I was either on a mission of my own or unable to slip away to watch him.

The one person I admired and loved with all my heart had become like a distant memory to me.

"Nee-chan?"

"Yes Sasuke?"

"After dinner. . .could you train with me?"

I looked over at him and saw he was watching the ground intently, afraid that I would reject him as Itachi had so many times before. I knew what it felt like, as I too had been turned down by him before. How ironic that both of us should love our elder brother so much despite his apparent coldness towards us and the family

I reached down with my hand and grabbed hold of his.

"Sure Sasuke."

He lifted his head, shaking his black bangs from his eyes and smiling at me. I returned his smile and turned back to the road before us.

I suddenly froze in my tracks, tightening my hold on Sasuke's hand to urge him to stop.

"What is it, Nee-chan?"

"Something isn't right Sasuke," I whispered.

We stood at the village gates, but the entire place was as silent as a graveyard. Nothing stirred.

"Maybe everyone went to bed early?" Sasuke suggested. I could hear his voice waver with uncertainty.

"The sun has just set. It's too early for _**everyone **_to be in bed."

I kept my grip on my brother's hand and slowly began to walk in. He stayed close to my side, his body pressing up against me. I wished I had some sort of weapon on me, but I had left the house with nothing.

A foolish decision.

We rounded a corner and I gasped at the sight that met my eyes. The street before us was littered with bodies. The sharp, metallic smell of blood hit my nose. My eyes widened, absorbing the sight despite my desire to shut my eyes and block everything out. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

Sasuke had jumped behind me and I could feel his small hands gripping at my shirt.

"Kaede, what happened?" he asked, his voice choked over with fear. I began to shake slightly.

"It looks like a massacre!"

"What about otosan and okasan?"

The thought of my parents snapped me out of my trance and I rushed forward. Sasuke followed closely behind me. The smell and sight of the bodies made me sick to my stomach, but I swallowed the urge to hurl and hurried past.

Every street we turned down looked the same – bodies and blood everywhere.

A battle had ensued, but it seems whoever attacked the village had more man-power than us.

Besides, they had the element of surprise.

I spotted several relatives of ours lying in a pool of their own blood. Tears burned my eyes, but still I ran on, not daring to stop. I could hear Sasuke sobbing behind me, but he didn't stop either, too afraid to leave my side.

We reached our house and I walked through the door. It too was as silent as everything else.

"Otosan? Okasan?"

Nothing.

"_**Otosan?! Okasan?!"**_

Still no reply.

Sasuke seemed to get over his fear quicker than me, because he rushed through the house, calling for our parents.

I followed him reluctantly.

Something inside of me told me what to expect, but I couldn't believe it.

_Itachi! Where are you? Why aren't you here?_

Another thought occurred to me. What if Itachi had come home early? What if he was dead like everyone else?

I wouldn't survive it!

"Kaede!"

Sasuke's voice was like an urgent hiss. I hurried over to where he was. He stood before our parents' room.

The door was closed, and from inside we could hear the sound of something or someone moving around.

Sasuke's eyes shot up to mine.

I could see the fear in his ebony eyes. We stood side by side for what seemed like hours, not daring to make a move. Finally Sasuke got up the courage and reached out for the handles. I stayed next to him, ready to protect him if the need should arise.

I was a kunoichi.

I needed to be strong.

Sasuke turned the handles and pushed open the doors.

He screamed, and I pushed him out of the way to see what he saw.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha lay on the ground in a large bright red pool of blood. My mind was spinning so fast I thought I would go mad at any second. I couldn't breathe.

My sharp eyes caught sight of movement behind the bodies of our parents and I instantly straightened. Sasuke moved in behind me.

Slowly a figure emerged from the shadows. There was no doubt in my mind as to who the figure was.

"Itachi! Oh Itachi."

I relaxed my body and took a step forward, eager to go to him, to cling to him and hide away forever. Now that he was here, we would be safe.

"What happened here Itachi? Who attacked our village? Who. . .murdered our parents?"

"I did," came his reply.

A nervous laugh escaped my lips.

"What? You couldn't possibly – " I stopped short as something whizzed past my ear.

Sasuke grunted and dropped to the ground. I spun around to see what had happened. A shuriken was embedded in the wall behind us and Sasuke was clutching at a scrape on his shoulder left behind from the blade slicing across his skin. The gravity of our situation slowly sunk in.

Itachi, our Itachi.

He was the murderer!

I turned back to him, my body shaking violently now. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. How could he have done this?

"You killed them?"

Sasuke's voice sounded forced and dead from behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him getting unsteadily to his feet. He too was shaking, but I realized it was out of rage and not fear.

He still didn't see our brother as a threat.

I held my arm out to prevent him from doing anything just yet.

"What did you do?" I asked softly.

Itachi's eyes closed for a brief moment, but as they slowly opened again, I could see his Sharingan was activated.

Only it was a different Sharingan.

With a jolt I felt something infiltrate my mind. My eyes blurred and the world around me changed. I could see the villagers, fighting desperately to stay alive, but one by one they dropped to the ground, dead.

"No, no, no, no!"

It was torture. The sheer agony of watching them die rattled my mind. I could sense their fear, feel their pain and suffering. And when I saw my parents kneeling on the ground with Itachi standing over them, the feeling multiplied.

"Itachi no! Stop!"

But it was too late. He brought his blade down and cut through our parents as though they were of no importance. They dropped to the ground, their blood splashing onto me. I couldn't move.

I let out a blood-curling scream.

My breath came in short bursts. Slowly my senses were coming back to me. My head was pounding, and I had no strength left in my body. The wooden floor was cold against my skin, and it lulled me into a false sense of security. Maybe it had all been a nightmare. Maybe I was in my room.

I shifted my eyes a little and saw Sasuke nearby. He too was lying on the ground, which meant he had probably fallen under Itachi's illusion as well.

His eyes were dull and almost lifeless.

"Kaede. . ." he whispered softly. His voice stirred me on, and I gingerly pushed myself up a little.

In front of me I saw my parents, their blood surrounding them, and Itachi standing nearby, towering over us all.  
Fear gripped at my heart and I collapsed again.

"Why did you do it? Why did you kill them?" Sasuke asked.

"To see what I could do."

His words were like a knife in my heart. Was that all we were worth? To measure his capability?

"That's _**it**_?" Sasuke asked. I could hear the anger in his voice as he pushed himself up.

"Sasuke don't."

"Don't **mess **with me!!"

Sasuke lunged at Itachi, anxious to attack him, to hurt him for what he had done. I tried to stop him, but it was too late and I watched in horror as Itachi swung his arm forward and punched Sasuke in the gut. My little brother dropped to the ground, inches away from where I still lay.

He was crying again, and I could see fear had finally sunk in and driven him over the edge.

"Don't kill me. . .**DON'T KILL ME!**"

Sasuke ran out of the room, howling in fear and terror. I was too weak to move, but I sensed Itachi approach.

"Those eyes. . .you have the Mangekyou Sharingan."

He didn't answer me.

"How did you – " but I needn't continue. I already knew the answer. My cousin Shisui's sudden suicide suddenly made sense. It had been Itachi all along. I should have been able to see it, but my admiration had clouded my vision, pushing aside all doubts I ever had.

And there had been many doubts.

"_**Little sister, you have known all along what I am capable of. You knew, yet you were content with living in my shadow, not daring to step out and be your own person. Until you learn what it means to be a superior shinobi, you will never be able to achieve the power you so desire. You are still too weak."**_

He stepped over me and went out, going after Sasuke although I didn't know it at the time. Going after him to deliver his last message to the boy who would become our family's avenger.

The boy who would grow into a strong shinobi.

One day. . .


	4. 3: Running Away

3: Running Away

**3: Running Away******

It was a dreary day.

Rain poured down in torrents, making it difficult to see past the street below my window.

The bed I sat in was comfortable enough – almost too comfortable.

It felt wrong to be sitting here in a nice warm bed when barely 24 hours ago my entire clan had been wiped out.

I should be out there in the rain, digging graves for the people I love with my own bare hands. I wanted to scream, to bleed, to feel some kind of physical pain or discomfort to match the emotional and mental pain I was experiencing.

Otosan, okasan, even Shisui – all of them gone.

In my mind I kept reliving the horror of that night.

Why hadn't Itachi finished me off like he had the others?

Death would have been a welcome escape from the insanity that lurked at the edge of my conscience.

What was Itachi's reason for leaving us alive? What was the meaning behind his words?

Itachi had mentioned _**superior shinobi**_.

To me, superior shinobi had always been people like my father and the Hokage – great men who fought for the good of the village, men who would give their lives to protect others. Isn't that what it meant to be superior?

He had said that until I learned what it meant to be superior, I would never achieve the power I desired.

The power _**I **_desired.

Did I really desire power?

A soft grunting noise came from beside me, and I turned my head towards the bed next to mine. Sasuke lay stretched out on the bed, his pale face calm and peaceful, his tousled black hair hanging limply over his closed eyes. He breathed deeply, shifting his position slightly before settling down again.

He looked so care-free and innocent. At least in his dreams he could escape.

I feared what would happen to him when he woke. He was still so young. The loss of our family had been a heavy blow to us both, but more so to him who was still so dependent on our parents.

_Itachi! How could you do this to us?_

I turned my face back to the window but was surprised to see Itachi staring back at me. Panic crept into my heart and I jerked back, but the image faded and there was nothing but the rain.

Frowning, I leaned forward again.

Itachi's face reappeared, but this time I didn't back away. I gazed into the blood red eyes for the longest time, until at last I realized it wasn't Itachi I was seeing, but myself.

My hand lifted up and gently traced the outline of my eyes in the window.

When had I learned to activate Sharingan?

Had my feelings of anger and betrayal pushed me over the edge?

I had heard once that the Sharingan was linked to our emotions, and most of the Uchihas activated their Sharingan for the first time in the heat of battle. The combination of fear and determination while fighting against an opponent pushed the user to his limits, and this allowed the Sharingan to break through.

I stared down at my hands, noticing how clear everything seemed. Slowly I raised my hands to cover my eyes. I saw nothing but darkness, and I stayed that way until all emotions had been blocked out.

The numbness felt wonderful, and I removed my hands to look at my reflection again.

My eyes were dark once more.

And I felt nothing.

Tossing aside the covers, I jumped out of the warm bed and slipped on my shoes. Sasuke remained asleep, which was better for me. I slipped outside, jogging through the rain until I came to the Uchiha compound. Red tape was crossed over the entrance, blocking it off to any civilians, but I ignored it, scampering underneath it.

I walked down the main street of our village, not daring to look around me. The bodies had been removed and the blood had been washed away by the rain, but the memory of it all was still too vivid.

I walked until I came to our house. It seemed so desolate and forlorn. It was hard to imagine that 48 hours ago we had all been having dinner together.

Standing out there in the rain, staring at what was once my home, I quickly felt the numb feeling I had managed to obtain wash away. The pain returned, and with it came the endless questions – questions to which I had no answers.

Why?

_Why??_

_**WHY?!**_

I dropped to my knees, mud splashing onto my pants. I turned my face up towards the sky, feeling the cold rain mix with my own hot tears and drip down my face.

The pain in my chest was almost unbearable.

I was only a child! What was I supposed to do now?

How was I supposed to survive?

"Itachi you bastard!! Why did you have to go and ruin **everything**?! You are selfish and arrogant and an idiot and – " I paused from my ranting and raving, lowering my face and staring at the muddy ground. "And I wish you were here," I whispered, wrapping my arms around my shaking body.

I allowed my grief to take control, and pretty soon I was bawling my eyes out, my body racked with sobs. It was some time before I found enough energy to get to my feet. I stumbled onto the porch in front of our old house and lay down, watching the raindrops splatter onto the ground.

And there I lay, for how long I don't know, just staring out at the falling rain, not caring whether I lived or died.

There was nothing left for me here.

That's when the voices in my head started.

"_**You knew all along. . ."**_

_Shut up!_

"_**You knew what I was capable of. . ."**_

_I said shut up!_

"_**You let them die. . .because you weren't strong enough to oppose me."**_

_I'm a year younger than you._

"_**Stop making excuses for your lack of power."**_

_Get out of my head!_

"_**You have only yourself to blame. Become your own person! Achieve the power you desire, and then you will be stronger!**_

I jerked myself into an upright position. He was right to some extent. It was time for me to become serious, to become stronger.

It was time for me to search for the answers to my questions.

I stopped, my thoughts drifting to Sasuke. I couldn't take him along with me. He would have to stay behind. Maybe that was what Itachi had intended all along – for us to be separated in our quest for strength.

Sasuke and I would only hold each other back if we stayed together.

He was just a boy, but he would be safe here in the village. I had no doubt in my mind that he would be taken care of.

But I would hang around a bit until I was certain.

Three days passed before the Third came to see us. Sasuke and I had been kept under strict ANBU surveillance, but it seemed that they finally thought it safe enough let us be.

There had been no sign of Itachi since the attack. He had simply vanished into thin air, and no one, not even I, knew where he would have gone.

"How are the two of you feeling?" the Third asked, taking a seat across from us. Sasuke and I sat side by side on the couch. Sasuke had been unusually quiet since the death of our clan, so I decided to speak for him.

"We're fine."

Now that wasn't exactly true, after all, how could we be fine after losing everything? But physically we were fine. Neither of us had any injuries, except for Sasuke's shoulder which was healing nicely now.

The Third eyed us carefully. I could see in his eyes he was concerned. Whether he was concerned for us or for what this would mean for the village, I didn't know, but I did know that it bugged me.

"I am truly sorry for your loss. You have been dealt a hard blow, but I assure you that you will not simply be forgotten. I have arranged that this apartment be given over to you. The money your father received for his service to the police force will be paid to you so you can live. If you wish to continue with your shinobi careers, then by all means do so. You have the support of the village."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. We appreciate the help."

The Third nodded. He seemed older than he had the last time I had seen him. It seems the entire incident with our clan had affected him as well.

At that moment though, I couldn't care less about the village.

The Hokage left after that, and I realized that I had nothing to worry about anymore. Sasuke would be taken care of.

The only thing left for me to do was decide when I would make my move.

One thing I knew was that I couldn't tell Sasuke about my plans. I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye and tell him I was leaving him. It would just be too much, for the both of us.

I started making plans for a nighttime escape.

The preparations didn't take long, but I found myself putting it off. Every time I decided tonight would be the night, another excuse would come up and I ended up staying. I tried convincing myself that it was because of Sasuke that I was reluctant to go, but I knew I was only bluffing.

The truth was I was scared.

I had no idea what I was doing really. Would I really make it out there all alone? Was I really strong enough?

It was these thoughts that kept me back, and every night I would sit on my bed, staring out the window, trying desperately to see what lay beyond the gates of Konoha.

Somewhere out there in the big world was my brother. He was only a year older, but already he was more than capable of taking care of himself. He didn't need friends or family, he didn't need a home.

Nothing held him back.

Nothing.

Why then was it so difficult for me to let go? Itachi had freed me of all bonds, except for Sasuke who was starting to get along just fine. He didn't rely on me as much as I had anticipated, in fact, he was learning to do things for himself more and more.

He didn't _really _need me.

So why then was I hesitating? Surely I had gleaned enough experience during my shinobi training to help me survive.

Why was I so weak?

In the end, it was Sasuke who unintentionally persuaded me to go.  
During a quiet dinner one evening, Sasuke paused in his eating and looked up at me.

"'Nee-chan."

"Hm?"

"Do you. . .do you think I can be as strong as Itachi?"

I had to stop myself from choking on my food. This was the first time since that fateful night that he had mentioned our brother.

I swallowed what was in my mouth and gave him my full attention. He had a very serious aura around him.

"Why do you ask, Sasuke?"

"Because I . . ."

"You what?" I pressed, anxious to hear what was on that little mind.

"I need to _**kill **_him!"

Startled by his sudden outburst, I retracted a little. His head was lowered so that his spiky black hair hung down, shielding his face. I could see his small hands were balled into fists so tightly that his knuckles shone white.

He really was quite angry.

"Sasuke, did Itachi say something to you?"

I hadn't told Sasuke about what Itachi had said to me, but now the thought struck me that maybe Itachi had said something to Sasuke too.

I saw him nod slightly.

_Damn you, Itachi._

I pulled my chair closer to his and waited until he had raised his head to look at me. I saw a fire burning in his dark eyes, a fire that had not been there before.

He would never be the same innocent boy again.

"What did he say to you, Sasuke?"

He shifted his eyes to the side, recalling that night's events. His brow furrowed slightly and for a brief moment pain was etched onto his face.

But it passed and he looked back, his face neutral.

"_**Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life. And one day, when you have the same eyes as me, come before me."**_

I will never forget the horror that flashed through my mind.

The same eyes as him?

Was he talking about the Mangekyou Sharingan? Did he really want our little brother to murder his best friend in order to gain those eyes?

He was more of a monster than I thought. Doing this to a little boy. . .

"I'm going to do it, nee-chan."

"What?"

"I'm going to do as he says. I'm going to hate and detest him. One day, when I'm stronger, I _**will **_find him and I _**will **_kill him for what he's done to us!"

His words were filled with such determination, that I had no doubt in my mind he meant every word he said. It seemed that Sasuke had already made up his mind to follow his brother's words, only I think he was planning on doing it his own way.

It was this that got me thinking about what Itachi had told me. Itachi was ruthless when it came to power, but I was different from him. I would become stronger, but I would do it on my own time and in my own way.

In that moment, I realized that I no longer had a place here, in Sasuke's life. He was on a mission – a mission that didn't involve me.

If I stayed, I would only be getting in his way. I was leaving for the both of us.

And so I left.


	5. 4: Ryushi Akera

4: Ryushi Akera

**4: Ryushi Akera******

I was roused from my uneasy slumber by the smell of something delicious cooking nearby. My eyes fluttered open, and I was surprised to see a canopy of leaves overhead. The ground beneath me was hard and uneven, and the air was chilly.

Where on earth was I?

Then it all came flooding back to me.

I had left the village of Konoha. . .how long had it been now? A month ago? It felt a lot longer. I had managed to survive for the most part, but a few days ago things had gone horribly wrong.

I had entered the Country of Lightning about four days ago, but this had proven to be a mistake on my part. The moment I stepped across the border a shinobi patrol had detected my presence. I had been running from them for two days when they finally caught up to me.

Fortunately for me, the group had split up to cover more ground, so when they finally caught me, there were only two of them. Still, one of them was of Jounin level, and the battle that ensued was ruthless.

If I hadn't had Sharingan, I might have died, but I managed to escape with my life, though I had broken an arm.

I managed to lose them again, but I was in trouble.

Not only was I injured, but my food supplies were running low, and I had lost my water skin during the battle.

I was going to die out here in a strange country, all alone.

And so I simply gave up, waiting for death to come and claim me as its own.

But it looks like it hadn't happened that way. I was somehow still alive.

"I think she's waking up."

Completely taken aback by the voice that was so close to me, I tried to sit up, but with only one working arm, I ended up falling awkwardly onto my side.

"What a foolish girl. Are you trying to hurt yourself again?"

I noticed then that my broken right arm was set in a sling. I tried moving it, but found it still hurt.

Bracing myself on my left arm, I heaved myself upwards into a sitting position. It was then that I saw him.

A boy about my age was crouched down in front of me. His hair was a deep purple color and hung a little over his collar. His eyes were ruby red, and they stared at me curiously. I stared right back.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice coming out in a low whisper. The boy's mouth pulled into an arrogant smirk before he turned his head to look behind him.

"Master, her eyes change color."

I tilted my head a little to see who he was talking to. A middle-aged man sat behind the boy, his legs crossed and arms folded thoughtfully. The man had pitch black hair, but his eyes were a vibrant green that seemed to look right through you. They were cold eyes, and I felt a shiver run up my spine.

They reminded me of Itachi.

For a moment, the man didn't move, and I began to think that he wouldn't, but then he got to his feet, moving so nimbly for a man of his age. He approached us, but I sensed danger about him and tried to move away.

"Don't worry, girl. I'm not going to hurt you."

The man knelt down next to the boy and gazed intently at my eyes.

"Ah you are of the Uchiha clan. It's no wonder you survived this long."

"Who are you?" I asked, raising my voice this time. I didn't like the way they made me feel.

"My name is Akera Ryushi, and this is my apprentice Melfice. And you are?"

"What's going on here? Are you shinobi of this country?"

"Dear child, do you see any symbol on our clothing? We do not belong to any village."

"Then why am I here?"

"We found you," Melfice interrupted. He was watching me the whole time, taking in every move I made with his strange eyes. I wanted to run away, but I knew I had no strength.

"Are you going to kill me?"

At this Ryushi started laughing.

"Girl, if we were going to kill you we would not have gone to the trouble of reviving you."

"Reviving me?"

"You were out for a long time with a high fever. If we hadn't found you when we did, you would have died," Melfice answered.

Ryushi got to his feet again and moved over to the small fire.

"Enough talk for now. I'm sure you're hungry."

My stomach began growling at the smell of the food cooking over the fire. Letting my guard down a little, I moved closer to the fire and was handed a bowl of stew. Ravenous with hunger, I gulped everything down at record speed. Ryushi chuckled.

"Not so fast, girl. You'll choke."

I swallowed and looked up at the two of them. They didn't seem all that bad. Maybe they could be trusted.

"My name is Uchiha Kaede. Thank you for saving me."

Ryushi smiled a slow, easy smile, but his eyes were still as cold and stern as ever.

"Why don't you tell us what you're doing out here all by yourself, Kaede-san."

And so I began re-telling my story; everything from the destruction of my clan, to my decision to leave and finally my departure from the village of Konoha. Both of them listened to my tale in silence, and both of them kept their eyes focused on my face. Once I had finished, I wondered why I had felt I could trust them, but it was too late now.

They knew everything.

"You've been through much, Kaede-san, and you have survived it all. You are quite strong."

I hung my head, staring at the ground.

"No, I'm not strong. If you hadn't saved me, I would have died. I couldn't even find what I was looking for."

"What are you looking for?"

"_**Answers!**_"

I was surprised by the harshness in my voice, but I was feeling frustrated with my weakness. Melfice was eyeing me with raised eyebrows, but Ryushi still had that same easy smile plastered on his face.

He leaned forward slightly.

"I like the way you think, Kaede-kun. You have great potential; it just has to be brought out. I can help you become stronger."

His proposition appealed to me. Hadn't I set out to do exactly this?

But something didn't feel right. Why would a complete stranger want to help me?

I hardened my resolve and allowed my eyes to meet with his penetrating gaze.

"What's in it for you?" I asked boldly. He laughed again, tilting his head back a bit.

"You don't miss much. I like that. Well I'll be honest with you, Kaede-san. Though I don't belong to any village, my services are still much in demand. That's where you come in."

"So you're saying I'd have to go on **your **missions?"

"Precisely."

"Why?"

"Master has a mission of his own, but he needs money. That's why he adopts students like me to help him," Melfice explained. The boy seemed fond of the old man. There was a fire in his eyes.

A fire like the one in Sasuke's eyes.

A fire that told of his determination.

This boy seemed strong for someone barely 12 years of age.

"It's a fair trade. Master takes care of us, and in exchange we help him out by earning him the money he needs to fund his research."

"What kind of research?"

Melfice turned to his master, waiting to see if he would answer. The older man rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

No one spoke or moved.

Ryushi sighed and closed his eyes.

"That is not something a child should know. Perhaps when you are older, I will tell you."

"You speak as though I have already joined you."

"That's because in your mind you already have. I can see it in your eyes, Uchiha Kaede."

I paused, realizing he was right. It didn't sound too bad a deal. If he really could help me get stronger, then what was stopping me?

"Very well, I will join you."

"Excellent."

I don't know what it was, but something in the way the man looked at me caused warning bells to go off in the back of my mind, but I drowned the sound out with thoughts of strength.

Finally I would prove to my brother that I could be my own person.

I would show them all what I could do.

If only I knew. . .


	6. 5: Life of an Assassin

5: Life of an Assassin

**5: Life of an Assassin******

"Melfice, is this really alright?"

"Shut up!"

"But Melfice – "

"I said be quiet! Geez, do you want to ruin everything? If we get caught, it'll be the end of us both."

The 14 year old boy turned his angry glare away from me and focused instead on the building that loomed ahead. The two of us were hidden amongst the foliage and shrubbery surrounding the mansion of some or other feudal lord. Ryushi-sensei hadn't mentioned much about the man other than the fact that some people wanted him dead and it would be up to us to put the man out of his misery.

After only two years of training under the ruthless Akera Ryushi, Melfice and I were being called upon to perform our first act of murder.

I had greatly improved over the time spent with them, and to be honest, this mission would probably not be much of a challenge; however the mere thought of spilling another person's blood made me feel sick to my stomach.

Memories of Itachi and what he had done returned, and the undeniable urge to run away and escape was slowly overwhelming my senses.

"Alright, we'll move out on the count of three. Ready?"

I clamped my pale fingers around Melfice's upper arm and squeezed tightly.

"I'm not ready, Melfice."

He didn't make a move, but I did sense him sighing softly to himself. He turned to me, his face bearing the stern expression he had picked up from our sensei.

My gaze didn't falter, and after a moment his face softened.

I felt his hands come up and cup my face, forcing me to look into his eyes.

"Listen to me, Kaede. You _**are **_ready. You've trained hard, you've gotten stronger, and don't forget I'm here with you."

"But Melfice, we'll have to _**kill **_someone. I don't know if I can do that."

I felt myself being pulled forward and before I knew it my face was pressed to his chest. His arms held me tightly against him, and I didn't attempt to move away.

Melfice never showed affection.

He was probably just as scared as I was.

I listened to the rapid beat of his heart against his chest, forgetting for a moment that we were in the heart of enemy territory and relishing in this rare show of emotion. I had become so used the solitude and loneliness of my life with Ryushi-sensei that I had almost forgotten how warm the human body could be.

Still, an awkward feeling rose up inside of me.  
This was Melfice after all. Sure, we spent a lot of time together, and yes we were friends, but for him to do something like this . . . it was so out of character.

It went against everything Ryushi-sensei taught us.

"_Never__ allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. Get rid of all your foolish feelings. When in battle, you have no friends, you have no family. All you have is your goal, and any enemy that may stand in your way is to be disposed of."_

"_But Sensei, what about your team mate?"_

"_Team mates are merely people with the same goal as you. You are not to depend on them, but by all means use them to get to your goal."_

"_Like a weapon, Master?"_

"_Exactly like a weapon."_

"_Sensei, weapons are left behind. Are you suggesting we forget about our team mate when they are in danger?"_

_  
"A real team mate will not hold you back. You two will just have to become stronger, otherwise you will be left behind. I have no use for weaklings, remember that."_

His words were harsh, but also a reality. We were children living in an adult's world. It was kill or be killed. We had been trained to be stronger.

"Kaede, you won't have to kill. I will do it, if you will cover me."

I nodded solemnly, not daring to look up into his face for fear of what I would see there. I gently pulled out of his arms and reached for a kunai in my pouch.

Melfice, sensing I was ready, turned back to look at the mansion.

"Ok, 1. . . 2 . . . 3!

The sound of metal hitting metal rang throughout the empty hallway.

Who would have guessed the old geezer would have enough sense to keep shinobi guards?

At the moment, there were only two of them, but who knew how many more would show up if we took too long. We were in a tight spot.

I ducked as the shinobi I was fighting slashed at me with his kunai, catching a few strands of my hair. He was quick, but luckily my Sharingan allowed me to be slightly quicker. I kicked out, catching the man in his shins and causing him to topple forward. As he was dropping, he flicked a strike at my body, but I parried it with ease. He rolled back to his feet, surprised at my speed of reaction. As he started another series of strikes and kicks, I sidestepped and brought the open edge of my palm smashing into the vulnerable nerve endings in his neck, and by the time he hit the ground he was out cold. Melfice did the same to his opponent and within seconds we were running down the darkened passage.

No alarm had gone off yet.

For now our presence was still unknown.

"What do we do now Melfice?"

"We have no choice but to move as quickly as possible. I'm sorry to do this to you Kaede, but if we run into anymore guards, you'll have to finish him while I hold them off."

"What?! Why can't I hold them off?"

"Because if there are a lot of them, you wouldn't last long."

"I resent that!"

"I don't care, Kaede. Please, you must. Do it quickly, and then run for it."

"And leave you behind?"

"Remember what Master said?"

"Screw what Ryushi said! I – "

I didn't get to finish the rest of my sentence, because in a flash Melfice had grabbed my wrist and spun me around to face him. His hand collided with my face so hard that I knew there would be a bruise later on.

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes and my cheek was throbbing with pain. Melfice stood over me, his face stern, his blood red eyes burning with fury.

"Don't ever disrespect Master like that again!"

I spat some blood out of my mouth before looking up at him. He looked angry, but I understood the reasons behind his actions.

The choice that loomed over our heads was a grave one. It was either kill or be killed, and I knew without him saying anything that Melfice would kill me if I hesitated.

He had no other choice.

When I didn't speak, his anger melted away and guilt replaced it.

"You knew what you were getting yourself into. Just. . .do as I say."

I averted my gaze to the ground, nodding silently. Without another word, we took off running again.

It wasn't long before we came to a pair of large wooden doors.

"This must be his room."

At that same moment, however, we heard shouts coming from down the hall. Someone must have discovered the unconscious guards and was alerting the rest of them.

We were running out of time.

"Kaede, go inside and kill him. I'll try to buy you some time."

"But Melfice – "

The boy whirled around to face me.

"Understand me, Kaede. Any hesitation from now on will mean your own death. I cannot allow you to be captured and interrogated. Decide now if you're going to let your weakness destroy you."

His words were cruel, but they sunk in. I nodded and watched Melfice slip away before entering the man's room.

"Who are you?"

Spinning around, I saw a figure sitting upright in the bed, staring directly at me. My body reacted before my mind could.

In the blink of an eye, I had crossed the room and launched myself onto the man, pinning him down onto the bed. I held a kunai pressed to his throat.

With a simple flick of my wrist, I could end his life.

But I hesitated.

The man didn't speak, but his eyes told me more than his mouth ever could. I could see there reflected the many emotions he was feeling right now.

Fear.

Anxiety.

Sorrow.

His mouth opened slightly.

"Please," he whispered. I slackened my grip on the kunai just a little, and sensing the release of pressure, the man pressed on.

"Please, I can give you anything you want. I can change my ways."

I continued to stare into his eyes. He seemed truly afraid, but there was something else that didn't fit.

Deep within his eyes, I saw something so dark, so sinister, that the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

This man had a black heart, much like Itachi's. He didn't plan on changing. If I left him alive now, he would just continue his greedy reign, stealing from the people who fell under his rule.

But to be honest, his death wouldn't mean much in the end. The person who hired us probably only wanted him dead so he could take over and be the one making all the money. It was a vicious cycle that no one really cared about.

It didn't matter to Ryushi that our actions tonight would probably only be making things worse.

All that mattered was the money.

I heard an explosion go off somewhere in the house and knew Melfice was working his magic. I also knew that I couldn't take too long to make up my mind. Melfice could never hold them all off on his own.

We had to get out of here – and soon.

I heard the man beneath me chuckle slightly and my attention was once again brought back to him.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were in your position," I sneered.

"Don't try and fool yourself. You can't do it."

"What?!"

"You're just a girl. Girls are weak."

Suddenly I wasn't hearing his voice anymore. The voice had become that of my brother Itachi.

"I am _**not **_weak," I hissed, my voice coming out as a barely audible whisper.

"Why don't you put away that knife and leave? Maybe I'll even let you leave alive."

He was getting cocky. The more I hesitated, the more confident he became. But I wasn't noticing any of this. All I could see were the images of my clan being slaughtered.

I could smell their blood, feel their fear, hear their screams of agony, see their looks of horror as one by one they dropped at the feet of my elder brother.

And that's when I snapped.

I can never really remember what happened exactly. All I remember is feeling something inside of me being released, a darkness I never knew I had. It was as if I had become another person.

Without so much as a thought, I slashed at the man's throat. Blood squirted from the wound, splashing onto my face, but it didn't bother me. I kept his writhing body pinned underneath me, watching with twisted amusement as he tried to cling to his pathetic life.

Slowly his eyes dulled until eventually there was no more life in him.

On that night, I killed my first victim – and died inside because of it.


	7. 6: Research Revealed

6: Research Revealed

**6: Research Revealed******

Another three years passed, and I was approaching my 17th birthday. Physically I hadn't changed all that much. I had grown taller, my hair was longer, and my face and body had matured slightly, but the greatest changes were internal.

The night I killed for the first time was the night I was stripped of what little childlike innocence and naivety I had left. My soul lay bare and exposed to the horrors of the world.

For the first time I saw my brother's actions in a different light.

No longer did my child's mind desperately seek a reasonable explanation that would justify his deeds.

He was simply a murderer.

But it didn't matter.

After all, weren't I the same now?

I sighed softly to myself and turned my head towards the window. The sun was steadily sinking lower in the sky.

Melfice was due back at any moment.

I shifted my thoughts to Melfice.

He had changed too, though his changes were completely opposite to mine.

Internally, Melfice was still the same. Killing didn't have the same effect on him as it did on me.

Why?

Well probably because he had grown up differently. He hadn't been sheltered and protected as I had.

Physically however, Melfice had changed a lot. Once we had been equally tall; now he was at least a whole head taller than me. His body had matured; his shoulders and chest were broader, his arm muscles larger, his torso firmer and his legs longer.

He had grown into a handsome young man.

I caught sight of the man in question as he approached the cottage, his dark silhouette outlined by the bright light of the setting sun at his back. Resisting a small smile, I walked to the front door to greet him. His clothes were dripping wet with water, meaning he had only just arrived through the secret doorway hidden behind the waterfall.

The Hidden Waterfall Village was a natural fortress, making it one of Ryushi's favorite hiding places. It also served as our base of operations.

Melfice approached the doorway and paused. He cocked his head to the side, smirking ever so slightly as he observed me.

It had been a whole month since we had last seen each other.

"You're late. Run into some trouble?" I asked in a mocking tone.

"Hello _**Uchiha**_. Miss me that much?"

I scoffed at his remark, but didn't have the pleasure of making a snide comeback as he was already moving past me in search of Ryushi-sensei.

I watched him go, and this time couldn't resist smiling a little.

Our relationship was something unique. All the years of living and working together had forged a deep bond of friendship.  
There was no one I trusted more, and I was sure the feeling was mutual.

Despite everything our sensei had taught us regarding teammates, I knew that either one of us would do anything for the other.

An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of my stomach when I realized Melfice was looking back at me.

My eyes met with his for a brief moment, and I saw the faintest of smiles tug at the corner of his mouth before he turned away and continued on his way.

It was moments like these that bothered me.

The way he looked at me – there was just something in his eyes that didn't fit. It was something deeper than friendship, but I couldn't quite place it.

At times I thought for sure I knew what he was feeling, but then there were times like now when I had no idea what was really going on inside of him.

He was good at hiding his emotions, especially from Ryushi-sensei.

It was little things, like the brief glances he would send my way, that made me doubt our relationship.

I often wondered what I would do if he were to one day tell me he loved me. Would I love him in return?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

What I felt for Melfice was complicated. Yes, I admired him. Yes, he was my best friend. Yes, I loved him.

But no, I don't think I loved him in _**that **_way.

To be completely honest, I was afraid of him.

He was the only person who could unnerve me with a mere glance, other than Itachi of course.

My feelings for Melfice were so similar to my feelings for Itachi.

I loved and trusted both of them.

But both of them had the power to completely destroy me.

Well technically, one had almost succeeded at that.

I hung my head in despair.

Despite all the changes I had gone through, despite hardening my resolve and burying my childish hopes and dreams, I still found myself being ruled by my emotions.

First Itachi, now Melfice. When would it all end? When I was destroyed by them? When one of them was destroyed?

"Kaede."

I looked up to see Melfice standing in the doorway. There was a look of concern in his eyes, and it angered me.

Straightening my back, I walked over to him, masking my troubled thoughts with a blank expression.

"What is it?" I asked, a little too harshly. I saw Melfice frown a little before his face became similar to mine.

"Master wishes to speak to us."

I waited for him to turn before following him down the hall to the receiving room.

Ryushi was waiting for us, sitting in his usual cross-legged position. His eyes were closed, shielding the vibrant green eyes that lurked behind the pale lids.

Melfice and I knelt on the two cushions opposite the older man and waited.

For a moment, he was silent, not moving. I waited patiently, knowing this was his usual habit. Our teacher was a careful man who never did anything without thinking it over first.

It was this quality that made him so ruthless.

"Melfice. Kaede."

"Hai sensei?" we chorused.

His eyes opened, revealing the cold green eyes that I had come to despise.

"You have done well these past few years. I believe your training is complete."

"Training? I don't understand, Sensei. I thought we were done training a long time ago," I said.

"My dear girl, all those missions I sent you on were part of your training. The real work begins now."

Puzzled, I glanced over at Melfice, but he didn't meet my gaze. I turned my attention back to Ryushi.

"Have you ever heard of the bijuu?"

"The tailed demons?" I asked.

"Those are the ones," Ryushi replied, a smug smile forming on his lips.

"What about them, Master?" Melfice asked.

"As you should very well know, they are powerful beasts and the only way to control them is to seal them away inside a person. Those people become known as Jinchuuriki."

"Forgive me, sensei, but why the lesson in demons?"

Ryushi eyed me for a moment, smiling easily at what was to him a foolish question, as though I should have known what he was talking about. I felt my anger rise towards him, but kept it in check as I had trained myself to do.

"For some time now I have studied these creatures, learned of their strengths and the ways in which you can capture and seal them. Why you ask? Simple. Just one of those magnificent creatures can give you power beyond your imagination.

"I want that power, and you two are going to help me get it."

"What?! You expect us to go up against a demon?"

"Hush Kaede!" Melfice snapped, grabbing hold of and squeezing my wrist.

"No no, our young Uchiha is right Melfice. You do not have the power to go up against the bijuu, but you needn't worry about that. I have my ways."

As the words left his mouth, I saw something flash in his eyes that caused shivers to run up my spine. What was our sensei planning exactly? Would our lives be in danger?

Would his little ambitions mean the death of us?

I didn't know the answer to these questions, but I did know I didn't have much of a choice. If Melfice would go along with Ryushi's plan – whatever that may be – then I was obliged to do the same. I couldn't let something happen to Melfice just because he was too blind to see the evil in our sensei's heart.

"What would you have us do, Master?" Melfice asked.

I listened while the old man explained to us how he had discovered the existence of demons other than the legendary tailed-demons. They were smaller in size and power, but they were still strong.

According to Ryushi, the demons took the size of the animal they represented, unlike the tailed-demons, but size did not necessarily determine power levels.

It was quite simple to seal one of these lesser demons, however catching them would prove to be the real challenge.

Ryushi explained that capturing some of these demons would prove useful to the bigger mission of capturing a tailed demon.

"On top of all that, there is something else that might prove a hindrance."

I groaned inwardly, but said nothing.

"There is an organization called the Akatsuki. They are a bunch of S-ranked criminals from different countries. I'm not sure what their ultimate purpose is, but it is rumored that they wish to gather all nine bijuu."

How ironic that Ryushi should call them criminals when he himself is considered an S-rank criminal.

"How will we know who the Akatsuki are?" Melfice asked, clearly not fazed.

"They all wear black cloaks with red clouds on them. Until the first phase of my plan is complete, you _**must not**_ attempt to engage in battle. They are extremely dangerous. You would know, Kaede."

I perked up at his last statement.

"Me, sir?"

"Yes. After all, your brother Itachi is one of them."

I sat quietly on the bed in Melfice's room, watching as he paced up and down in front of me. Silently I replayed our earlier meeting with Ryushi-sensei over and over in my mind.

I hadn't bargained on having to deal with Itachi again – at least not so soon. If he was part of this group – this Akatsuki – then we wouldn't stand a chance.

Not even Melfice was that strong.

"Did you hear me?"

I snapped to attention, realizing Melfice had stopped and was talking to me.

"What did you say?"

"I asked what you were thinking about all this."

I gave a short, derisive laugh.

"I think its pure suicide. Not only is he asking us to tackle the legendary bijuu, but also to face off against my brother and his gang of goons. Sounds like a death wish to me."

"I think you're over exaggerating, as usual."

I gave him a sharp look, but said nothing.

He straightened his neck, tilting his head a little in a show of arrogance.

"Surely they can't be that strong."

"My brother is not someone who would hang around weaklings. If he could kill you with just a blink of an eye, can you imagine what the others can do?"

"Come on Kaede, you're being irrational."

"Oh am I now?"

"Yes! You were a child when your family was killed. Of course your brother seemed insanely strong. Think about it. Master is also rated an S-rank in the Bingo Book and _**he**_ trained _**us**_. I think we could handle them."

I jumped to my feet, glaring hotly at the naïve young man before me. Had his power blinded him this much?

He was acting like a fool.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Melfice beat me to it.

"You and I have sparred many times. I know all about your little _dojutsu _and its abilities. Another Uchiha should be no match for me."

It was true, we had many mock battles, and I always had to use the Sharingan against him. Melfice was truly a gifted fighter, and not even my abilities were sufficient against him.

But he was a fool if he thought Itachi and I were the same.

"The Sharingan is more evolved than you think. My brother's eyes are completely different from mine. He could completely destroy you inside without even lifting a finger. The things you would see and endure. . . "

I couldn't continue. My insides churned and shook at the memory of the night I was struck with Itachi's Tsukuyomi.

I would never fully recover from that fateful encounter. The images were burned into my memory.

I fought the urge to retch and shifted my eyes to Melfice.

Gone was the arrogance and pride, and in its place was pure concern.

I hated that look from him, but didn't have the energy to argue with him about that now.

"Kaede, I'm sorry. I was being stupid and inconsiderate."

I waved him off, clicking my tongue impatiently.

"Never mind. Don't you dare get soft on me, not when we have to figure out a way to fulfill the first phase of the plan while keeping our asses intact."

Melfice gave a soft chuckle before laying a hand on my shoulder.

"You really have come a long way from the frightened little girl we found in the forest. Tough as nails, is what you are."

I huffed, pushing his hand off of my shoulder and brushing past him. I could feel his eyes boring into my back and resisted the urge to look back at him.

I didn't want to see that look in his eyes.


	8. 7: Friends, Rivals, Enemies

7: Friends, Rivals, Enemies

**7: Friends, Rivals, Enemies******

Betrayal.

For some, it was a harsh sounding word.

But for me, it was more than just a word. For me it was a very real feeling.

First it was my brother, who had taken away almost everything that was precious to me and cruelly left me alive to endure the pain it left behind.

Now it was my best friend.

If I had known that things would turn out this way, I might have run away when I had the chance.

But life has no room for "what ifs" or "maybes".

A year had passed since the day I had been turned into a Jinchuuriki.

A year since I last felt human.

The door opened and Melfice came in. I didn't bother to look at him. I already knew what I would see.

In a year, he had changed too.

"Feeling sorry for yourself again?" His words cut through me like knives.

"What do you want?"

This is what our relationship had been brought to. There was no longer any trust between us, not after what he had done to me.

"Master sent me. You haven't eaten anything in two days."

"I'm not hungry."

"Do you _**want**_ to die?"

"Maybe."

"You really are pathetic, Kaede Uchiha"

"_**I'm **_pathetic? Well excuse me, but last time I checked, I wasn't the one who stood back and watched his friend suffer!"

I met his gaze this time and felt the demon inside of me stir. It took all my willpower not to release its power and lash out at the man in front of me.

He must have sensed this because I saw his eyes darken as his own demon woke.

We stood still, facing each other for a moment before he broke the awkward silence.

"You can't still be mad about that. We did you a favor."

"The two of you tied me face down to a table and sealed a demon inside of me against my will. How is that doing me a favor?"

"It made you stronger, you can't deny that."

A part of him was right.

When we set out together a year ago to find these lesser demons, I learned first-hand how strong they were. It had been difficult, but Melfice and I managed to capture two of them.

They each took on the form of an animal: Hannya was a panther, and Itsumaden was a hawk.

It was only after we had returned with the captured demons that I became aware of Ryushi's plan. He intended to turn us into his tools by sealing the demons inside of us.

He assured us we would be stronger and more capable of battling against other Jinchuuriki. Even the Akatsuki wouldn't stand a chance.

Melfice was easily won over to the idea, but I wanted no part of it. I had witnessed the destruction caused by Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox demon, back when it attacked the village of Konoha. Many people had died that day, including the Fourth.

That beast had caused much suffering, even for the Uchihas.

I did not want to turn into a mindless creature that caused such suffering. That was _**not **_part of my goal.

But Ryushi didn't care what I wanted. This was all about his desire to be strong, as it always had been.

I had no say.

What bothered me the most was the fact that Melfice had done _**nothing**_, even when I was pleading for help, even when I was crying out in agony while Hannya was being sealed inside of me.

All he did was watch.

Never in my life had I been so afraid.

The days that followed the sealing were the worst I've ever had to endure. My resistance to the demon made the merging far more painful than it would have been had I just allowed the changes to take place. But I just couldn't let go.

I was unsure of what would happen. The chances of me losing complete control were high.

Melfice went through the same thing, but his recovery was faster than mine.

Ryushi was eventually forced to come to me, offering his help in exchange for mine. I don't know why I accepted his offer. Maybe because I was desperate to live.

Pathetic really.

I should have fought on, even if it meant death.

But I didn't. I couldn't.

Ryushi did help me. It took a while, but eventually I managed to gain control of Hannya's powers.

Only now I owed him my life again, and I was forced to continue with his plan to try and capture one of the bijuu.

Up till now, we had been playing it safe, learning as much as we could while adjusting to our new strengths. But the time was growing near when we would have to make our move.

"This strength isn't mine, Melfice."

I could see him grind his teeth in frustration.

"Stupid girl. What does it matter?"

"It matters because of what I set out to do."

He rolled his eyes.

"Ah yes of course, the big life goal. How silly of me to forget. Look, if I ever run into this infamous Itachi, I'll put him out of his misery for you. Ok? Now can you please stop sulking?"

I listened to his words with my head lowered. I was dangerously close to losing my cool.

"Melfice, if you ever lay so much as a hand on my brother, I swear to you, **I. will. kill. you**!"

He seemed a bit taken aback by my outburst. In his eyes, I could see he was confused.

I decided to clear things up for him.

"My family was broken apart once before. I do _**not **_intend to lose what's left of it."

"What? What do you plan on doing?"

"I don't know yet, but I do know that I am not yet strong enough to oppose him. I will bring him back to his senses even if it kills me."

I turned my back on him, indicating that this discussion was over. I didn't want to hear anything he had to say right now.

I was tired. Tired of always fighting, tired of being betrayed, tired of having my heart broken.

I sensed Melfice walk to the door, but he paused before leaving.

"You're always trying to help the people you love, but you don't seem to care how much you're really hurting them by undermining the value of your own life. You really are selfish, Kaede."

And with that, he left me alone with my thoughts.

His words echoed throughout my head. Even if he was right, it didn't make any difference.

I was too sick inside – infected by the darkness of my actions. For all the lives I had taken, I deserved death.

Maybe that was my fate, but until I did something worthwhile, I had to cling to life.

I owed it to Sasuke.

I owed it to Itachi.

As I stood in front of the window, gazing at the night sky, I longed to be away from everything and everyone. Maybe it was the animal instincts in me, but I wanted to be out there in the open country, free to move as I please.

And why shouldn't I be?

Wasn't this my life?

Didn't I have the strength to escape?

For too long I had let pride and honor hold me back. It was time to act, to become who I was destined to be.

I was no longer Uchiha Kaede, the girl who couldn't.

I was Uchiha Kaede, the girl who could.

I packed what few things I owned and prepared to leave. I wasn't going to waste any more time.

I would do things _**my **_way.

I released Hannya, feeling my body change to accommodate her powers. The changes were subtle, yet efficient.

I jumped up onto the window sill, balancing on the edge while listening. It appeared no one had noticed anything yet.

Taking a deep breath, I dove forward, landing nimbly on all fours and pausing once more to make sure the coast was clear.

Certain that no one was around, I began to run. Thanks to Hannya's powers, my speed had greatly increased, and in no time I had put considerable distance between myself and the hideout.

Melfice would no doubt be able to match my speed, but I prayed there would be enough distance between us before they figured out I was missing.

Even with this threat looming over my head, I had never felt so free as I did on that night.

I savored the moment.


	9. 8: Sabaku no Gaara

8: Sabaku no Gaara

**8: Sabaku no Gaara******

The Wind Country is a harsh and unforgiving place.

If you were not a native of the land, the hot and arid desert terrain could swallow you up in an instant.

Fortunately for me, I had often traveled through the country with Melfice, and was quite familiar with the environment.

I walked at a slow pace, not wanting to wear myself out in the terrible heat. The lightweight cloak I wore shielded me from the sting of the sand being blown about in the wind.

The country truly lived up to its name.

I peered at the road ahead through half-closed eyes and spotted something that made my soul breathe out a sigh of relief. The Hidden Sand Village loomed ahead of me.

Finally, a place to rest.

I didn't slow down as I approached the gates. Though I still had one, I wore no hitai-ate, and was therefore able to travel freely most of the time. I would have no trouble with guards.

My hunch proved to be correct. No one stopped me as I passed through. They had simply brushed me aside as nothing but a weary traveler.

In a sense, that's exactly what I was.

The village of Sand was a village like any other. I was easily able to blend in with the rest of the people moving through the streets, though at this time of day there weren't many. After finding a small teahouse, I slipped inside and lowered the hood of my cape, shaking the sand grains from my long hair.

The interior was cool, a welcome escape from the burning desert sun. I sat with my back to the door and ordered a tea and some _dango_. While I waited, I took the opportunity to think over my next move.

Since I left Ryushi's group, nearly a year ago, I had been drifting from place to place.

A ghost no one knew or remembered.

It was better that way, and I made it a point to never plan too far ahead. I just went where the road took me. It was a kind of freedom I had never experienced before, and it gave me an odd sense of peace.

I used the experience to learn more about others like me. One thing they all had in common was their status as the village outcast. It made me grateful that I wasn't part of any village, surrounded by people who feared your very existence.

The past year had also allowed me to grow up a bit more in my opinions. Back when I left Konoha, when everything started, the fact that Itachi was still making decisions for me hadn't bothered me in the least. I was young and needed someone to guide me. Itachi's words, no matter how harsh, were like a light that I needed to follow.

I was even foolish enough to believe Sasuke would be alright following the path he had chosen. Killing Itachi would not solve anything. It would only make things worse, especially for him, who would have to live with the guilt for the rest of his life.

But I also knew that anything I said to him at this point would be useless. He would not listen to his renegade sister after all these years.

All I could do was stand in the gap and try to fix the broken bonds. It was my duty as their sister.

And like it or not, I would have to depend on Hannya's strength in order to do that. That was the purpose of my wanderings. The better I understood her, the more able I was to tap into her powers.

Strength was the only thing my brothers would understand.

A waitress came over with my order and placed it down before me. I quietly thanked her and raised the cup to my lips.

Just as I was about to take a sip, I felt Hannya stir in the pit of my stomach. My ears twitched, picking up on the sound of footsteps approaching the teahouse. As they grew closer, a light sweat broke out on my forehead.

Something with tremendous power was approaching.

Could it be Melfice? No, he couldn't have gotten that powerful in such a short amount of time.

Could he?

I froze as the person entered the teahouse. Either he did not sense me or he didn't care, as he approached without hesitation.

I saw the person pass and was surprised to see it was a red-haired boy, probably around the same age as Sasuke, making him about 16 years old. There were two others with him, another boy and a girl. Both looked to be older than the redhead, but neither of them had as much power as him.

I kept my gaze on him as they moved over to a nearby table. He carried a large gourd on his back. What was inside it, I didn't know, but it must be important for him to carry such a heavy container around with him.

The group sat down around a table, and I noticed the younger boy was sitting facing my direction.

It was his eyes that caught my attention.

They were pale green in color, but so hard and filled with sorrow that I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He must have seen and endured many terrible things for him to look this way.

If he was a Jinchuuriki, then it all made sense.

His eyes shifted towards me and I quickly looked away, choosing instead to scan the rest of the room and see the people's response to his presence. As I suspected, many of them were edging away from the boy's table.

So he _**was **_a Jinchuuriki, and he mostly likely had one of the bijuu sealed inside of him. It was no wonder he was so strong.

"What does it take to get some service around here?" the other boy asked loudly. I watched as a waitress approached, her eyes glued to the redhead. She was a nervous wreck by the time she reached their table.

The girl seated across from the redhead rattled off their order before dismissing the waitress who left gratefully.

Not once did the red-haired boy open his mouth to speak. He just sat with his arms folded and his mouth shut. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and I sensed he was weary inside. The judgmental looks of the villagers must be taking their toll on him.

When his eyes opened, they were focused on me again. I allowed myself to meet his gaze for a moment before shooting him a knowing smile and getting to my feet. I tossed some money down and turned to the door. I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my skull, but didn't turn to look back.

Maybe some other time I would introduce myself to him.

Ironically enough, the day's heat disappeared with the coming of night and was replaced by a somewhat chilly air.

The villagers were all indoors, tucked away in their warm beds and dreaming peacefully of what tomorrow would bring.

I was restless tonight, probably because I kept thinking about the red-haired Jinchuuriki with the sad eyes.

I had found a nice spot on the roof of the inn I was staying at, and that's where I sat, bundled up in my cloak and peering up at the twinkling stars.

"Who are you?"

I couldn't help smiling. I hadn't been expecting him to come find me himself, or so soon.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble," I assured him calmly.

"Then why are you here?"

"I just happen to be passing by."

I rose to my feet and turned to face him. He stood close by, the gourd still firmly in place on his back. His eyes locked with mine, and I saw something change in him.

"You're the same as me. Surely you sensed it."

"Not exactly the same, but similar."

He fell silent, uncertain what to say to me. It seems he didn't really know why he came looking for me in the first place.

But I knew.

He wanted to talk to someone who could truly understand him.

"My name is Kaede, and you are?"

"Gaara."

"Well Gaara, I know why you came here."

"You do?"

"Oh yes. I was the same, searching for answers, for a way to live a normal life. I didn't want to be this way, but I am and I have no choice but to make the best of things."

He turned his face away from me, folding his arms and staring out over the village.

"I don't need answers. I know why I'm this way. I was created solely for the benefit of the village, and when things didn't turn out the way they planned, the tried to get rid of me, like I was nothing but a broken object."

My heart bled for him. In all my life, I had never seen someone being treated so cruelly. But I didn't let my sadness show on my face. Instead, I adopted an easy smile, a habit I had picked up from Ryushi.

"I'll be in town for a while. If you ever feel like hearing my story, you can come find me again. I'm sure you'll be surprised by how much I understand your feelings."

I left him standing on the roof while I went back to my room. It sounded like he had an interesting story to tell, but until I gained his trust, he wouldn't be willing to discuss it with a stranger.

I had opened the door for him. It was up to him to decide whether or not he would enter.

It would be interesting to find out what he decided.

The early morning sun was rising steadily in the east. I took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air and closed my eyes, lowering myself onto the ground in a cross-legged position.

I sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the peace and quiet.

I had ended up staying longer than anticipated, but I felt like I couldn't just abandon Gaara. Still, the longer I stayed, the more dangerous it became for me.

"It's no good trying to sneak up on me if you don't do something to suppress that demon energy of yours," I commented after sensing Gaara's presence. I could even feel the smirk form on his face as he sat down next to me.

"I see you're as perceptive as always."

"I have to be. It's how I've survived up till now."

Silence once again filled the air around us. Without looking at him, I could tell he had something on his mind. That's how well I had come to know him in the time I'd spent here. I wouldn't go so far as to call us friends, but there was definitely a connection.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you? That is why you came here so early, isn't it?"

"I wanted to ask how much longer you were planning on staying."

I turned to look at him, a teasing smile on my face.

"Tired of me already, huh? It's only been a month."

"You told me you were a wanderer. I just want to be informed. I wouldn't want to wake up one morning to find you'd gone without saying goodbye."

"I probably have to leave again soon. I took a risk staying here so long."

"You could have left earlier if you wanted to."

"You're right, I could have. But I didn't."

I didn't need to say more. He understood what I meant. I had stayed because of him, because he had needed someone like me to talk to and help guide him. He had a difficult road ahead of him, what with trying to regain his reputation in the village, but at least his family was willing to stand by him.

I had taught him everything I knew about the bijuu, and he felt he was more in control of Shukaku now. I believed things would be better for him now.

"Where do you plan to go?"

I sighed, facing the front once more.

"I don't know yet."

"Why don't you go to Konoha?"

"Konoha? Why there?" I asked, curious as to why he would bring that up. I hadn't told him who I really was or where I had originally come from. I hadn't figured it was necessary.

He turned to look at me, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice the resemblance? You have the same eyes as him."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

My eyes widened at the mention of my brother's name.

"How. . .?"

"I fought him in the Chuunin exams. He is a strong shinobi and a worthy opponent. You must be related to him somehow. You look so much alike."

"He's. . .he's my younger brother."

I could see the question in his eyes, but he said nothing. In a way I was grateful for his silence.

An awkward moment passed before he got to his feet. He stepped in front of me, looking down at me with those strange eyes of his.

"Kaede, I may not know what happened between you and your family, but I have a feeling it would be good for you to see each other again. You've led a life of hardship, like me, but it's time for us to change that. What do you say?" he asked, holding out his hand for me.

I hesitated a moment, thinking over his words. Maybe he _**was **_right. Maybe I did need to see Sasuke again.

I reached up with my own hand, slipping it into his. His grip tightened and with surprising strength he pulled me to my feet.

"We'll see each other again, Kaede."

"Yes, we will. Count on it."


	10. 9: Meeting With Fate

9: Meeting with Fate

**9: Meeting with Fate******

Loss.

It was something every shinobi had to face sooner or later. Hatake Kakashi had always known that, but he still carried that burden on his shoulders. He had been exposed to loss at an early age, and as a result had never been the same person.

Every time he visited the memorial stone, the burden would grow heavier. Seeing his friends' names carved into stone just made the reality of his loss even greater.

Yes, it hurt, but he liked to believe he had become a better person because of it.

"Ah Kakashi, ohayou!"

"Ohayou, Asuma."

Asuma fell in step with the silver-haired Jounin and lit a fresh cigarette. No matter how many times Kakashi reprimanded him for his habit, Asuma refused to let go of his beloved cigarettes.

He would suffer for it one day.

"So what do you think of the new girl?" Asuma asked while they casually walked down the road to the training grounds. Their teams were no doubt already waiting, but at least Kakashi's team knew enough to expect his tardiness. He was in no hurry.

"What new girl?"

Asuma's cigarette nearly fell out of his mouth.

"The new girl who was just promoted to Jounin level. She was at yesterday's meeting and I must say, she's not half bad looking."

Kakashi didn't comment. He knew which girl Asuma was talking about, but to be honest he just hadn't noticed her in that way.

"You should ask her out."

"Oh? And why should I be the one to ask her out? You're the one who noticed her," Kakashi argued. Asuma playfully punched him in his ribs.

"She was eyeing you the whole time, practically begging for a date."

Again Kakashi said nothing. How was he supposed to explain his seeming disinterest in the opposite sex? It wasn't that he didn't like women; it was just hard for someone like him to find a compatible match.

"You know, I envy you Kakashi. You could have any girl in this village. They all seem to be attracted to your mysterious persona. Maybe I should start wearing a mask."

Yet another reason why it was so difficult for him to find the right one. Many of them only went for him to find out what lay beneath his mask. After all, how many people could say they had seen THE Hatake Kakashi's real face? Not even his own students knew what he looked like.

In all honesty, Kakashi was just like any other person. He felt lonely at times and longed to love and be loved.

But it would take a special kind of person to understand his fear to commit. Carrying the pain of loss for most of your life made you fear it happening again.

Kakashi wanted someone who understood his pain, but at the same time was stronger because of it. He wanted someone who knew what it was like to take someone's life, but didn't let the experience harden her. He wanted someone who could retain her humanity, but not be so naïve as to forfeit her duty.

Most kunoichi his age were hardened by years of fighting and killing. They didn't seem to have time for feelings. The younger women were still kind-hearted and compassionate, but leading a shinobi life quickly stripped them of that. Finding a balance was difficult, he knew that, but something inside of him just would not compromise. He didn't think any other kind of woman would satisfy him.

So in the meantime he avoided Asuma's attempts to hook him up and stuck to reading his romantic, somewhat perverted books. At least then he could imagine himself as the male character with the perfect female partner.

"Kakashi! There you are."

The man in question looked up at the sound of his name and saw Kurenai running towards them. She looked to be in a hurry, and Kakashi knew she had something important to say.

"What is it, Kurenai?"

"Tsunade-sama is looking for you."

"Did she say why?"

"No, just that it was urgent."

"Alright I'm on my way. Asuma, please inform my team of my absence and see to it that they continue by themselves."

"Ok."

He barely got his two letter word out before the Copy Ninja took off running towards the Hokage mansion.

As he approached the large building that stood proudly in the center of the village, Kakashi noticed something that didn't quite fit.

ANBU guards surrounded the place.

He walked past their watchful gaze and headed straight for the Hokage's office. When he finally came to it, he tapped lightly on the door. Tsunade's feminine voice called for him to enter, which he did.

He found the Fifth sitting with her elbows resting on the desk and her fingers folded neatly under her chin. He noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes and knew she hadn't slept a wink.

"You called for me?"

"Yes. I have a favor to ask of you. Normally this wouldn't fall under your jurisdiction, but this is a special case."

He waited in silence for her to continue, curious to hear what she would ask of him.

Tsunade rose to her feet and turned her back on him, staring out the window behind her desk.

"Late last night, a former shinobi of Konoha was spotted outside the village walls. This person has been listed in the Bingo book as a missing nin, and so ANBU was dispatched. Though we have no reason to believe this person has betrayed us, proper procedure requires me to make absolutely sure of this person's credibility."

She paused and turned to face him, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"This is where you come in, Kakashi."

"Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but what am I expected to do?"

The faintest of smiles flashed across the older woman's face. She sat back down in her chair, crossing her legs.

"You are quite familiar with the techniques this person uses; in fact, you are the only one qualified to handle this kind of person."

"Who is this person?" Kakashi asked. He couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of techniques this person used that was forcing the Hokage to rely on him instead of ANBU.

"When you meet her you'll understand."

"Her?"  
"She should be here any minute."

As if on cue there was a knock on the door. Tsunade called out for them to enter and he watched as two ANBU members came in. They each had a firm grip on the young woman between them.

Kakashi found he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She was beautiful, but he couldn't help feeling he had seen her somewhere before. As he watched her, her dark eyes shifted up to look at him.

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, it felt as though they were the only two in the room. There was something different about this girl.

"Kakashi, meet Uchiha Kaede."

And that explained it.

"_Well well, if it isn't the Uchiha girl."_

_I froze in my tracks, raising my eyes to look at the speaker. A group of boys stood in the center of the bridge, blocking my way. _

_They didn't bother to hide the hatred in their eyes._

_They all wore Konoha forehead protectors, signifying their Genin rank. They should be somewhere around Itachi's age._

"_What do you want from me?" I asked boldly. I knew that if they decided to fight, I wouldn't stand a chance against __**all **__of them. Even so, I couldn't let them know I feared them._

"_We want to know the secret behind you're brother's success. No one could be on Jounin level at his age, not even with your special "bloodline limit". So why don't you just tell us what it is he did. Did he bribe someone? Or is he using some kind of special drug?"_

_Ah, so that's what this was about. They wanted to be like Itachi._

_  
How foolish._

"_If you're so interested in my brother, why don't you ask him yourself?"_

"_Little bitch. . ."_

"_If there's nothing else, I'll be going."_

_I stepped forward, eager to get past them and back to the Uchiha compound, but they spread out, reaching for their weapons._

_My heart began to beat faster and my eyes swept over them. In my mind, I tried figuring out some way to get past them without encountering them in battle, but everything I came up with seemed hopeless. There were just too many of them. I wasn't yet strong enough to handle a group of this size._

_If only I had the Sharingan. Maybe then I would be able to do something to defend myself. _

"_We'll give you one more chance to give us what we want."_

_Abandoning all hope of getting away, I spread my feet and drew a kunai from my pouch. _

"_A bunch of imbeciles like you will never be like my brother!"_

"_That's it! Get her!"_

_They surged forward like one man, holding their kunai ready for attack. I swallowed hard at the sudden dryness in my throat, bracing myself for what was to come. With each second that passed, they got closer. The sound of my own heartbeat in my ears drowned out any other noise, and against better judgment, I closed my eyes._

_I held my breath, waiting for the impact of their kunai._

_It never came._

_I realized then that their footsteps had stopped. In fact, it was unusually quiet. _

_  
Slowly I opened my eyes. I found myself staring at someone's back. The Genin boys had stopped their attack and were staring at the newcomer with wide eyes. _

"_It's not nice to pick on someone, especially a girl," the newcomer said. His voice was deep and velvety, causing my heart to start racing again._

_I watched in slight amusement as one by one the boys turned to run away. The man watched them go until they were out of sight before turning to me. _

_The first words that sprang to mind when I saw him was "mysteriously handsome". The lower half of his face, from his nose downward, was covered by a navy blue mask. He wore a Konoha hitai-ate, but it was tilted at an angle so that it covered his left eye. His right eye was a dark ebony color, and his hair was a light grey that stood up at awkward angles. _

"_Are you alright?"_

_I realized then I had been staring, and I quickly looked away, feeling a hot blush creep its way into my cheeks. _

"_I'm fine. Thank you."_

"_Good. Well then, I'll be going again."_

_I quickly looked up._

"_Wait!"_

_  
He paused and turned back to look at me._

"_Wh. . .who are you?"_

_Despite the mask covering his features, I could tell he was smiling._

"_Hatake Kakashi. Try not to get into anymore trouble on the way home, Kaede-chan."_

_In the blink of an eye, he was gone. _

_How did he know my name?_

_I couldn't help the broad smile that came to my face. _

_He knew my name!_

_As I hurried home, my mind was filled with thoughts of my silver-haired savior, the one who knew my name._

He was watching me, I knew it. I could feel his eyes on me.

What did he think of me?

Did he think I had betrayed the village?

Did he think I was a bad sister for leaving Sasuke?

Did he think I had become like Itachi?

I casually glanced outside the window.

One. . .two. . .

Two ANBU were hidden outside. There were no doubt more of them somewhere nearby, but I couldn't pick up on them. This was part of the procedure I had to go through to clear my name – being treated like a criminal.

The Fifth had sent me to stay with Kakashi, seeing as he was the only one who could handle the Sharingan, but ANBU were to keep constant watch over the house, just in case.

How ironic it was that after all these years, my childhood dreams were finally coming true. Of course, back then I hadn't pictured myself sitting in front of him like this.

But I had no use for childish fantasies now. I had long outgrown my silly crush. . .

. . .hadn't I?

My father would probably have killed me if he ever found out his only daughter had secretly fallen for the Copy Ninja. Most of the Uchihas resented Kakashi for possessing a Sharingan eye, and that included my father.

But I was intrigued by him. He was so talented with the dojutsu, despite it being unnatural.

I always admired him from afar, not daring to even mention his name around my family.

Strange how things changed. Had I still been a naïve 11 year old, I might have melted in my socks right now.

But I wasn't a little girl anymore.

Slowly I raised my eyes to look at him. He was wary of me, I could tell by the look in his visible eye and the way he positioned his body.

It was only natural for him to feel that way. He didn't really know me after all.

Our eyes locked for a brief moment. For some reason I felt that if anyone could understand me, it would be him. His eyes told me he had seen the same things I had.

He had experienced loss. He carried the same burden I did.

We were more alike than I thought, but there was still a big gap between us.

He would never accept what I was, what I had become.

He could never understand what it was like to be a monster.


	11. 10: Broken Bonds

10: Broken Bonds 

**10: Broken Bonds ******

Uchiha Sasuke woke with the coming of dawn. He felt refreshed despite the fact that he hadn't slept long. These days he found it hard to fall asleep at night.

His mind worked long after his body had stopped.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was as if he could sense something was going to happen.

Could it be Itachi?

The mere thought of his brother made his blood boil in rage, and he was forced to think about other things until he finally calmed down.

Ever since the Chuuin exams and his encounter with both Orochimaru and Itachi, he had thrown himself into his training and missions.

He needed to become stronger.

He slid out of bed and made himself a small breakfast. After that, he donned his signature blue shirt with the Uchiha symbol on the back. He wore it with pride, but also as a reminder of what he had lost.

He would have his revenge, one day.

The air outside was crisp and the light was steadily strengthening. Sasuke took his time walking to the training grounds where he would meet the others. He knew that his sensei would be late, so he was in no hurry.

He could almost hear Sakura asking him why he had taken so long to meet up with them. He wasn't in the mood for her whining today, and secretly he hoped she would spend more time on her hair or something so that she wouldn't notice his absence.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. A few stray clouds floated idly by.

So peaceful.

He wondered what it would be like to live a normal life, to have family waiting for him at home. He had once had all that, but it was so long ago, it all seemed like a dream. His family was dead, his brother was an S-class criminal and his sister was a missing nin,

He had assumed she would always be there for him. Their relationship had been a good one.

She _**should**_ have been there for him.

He shook his head in frustration. There was no point in wondering about things that would never be. They had each chosen their own paths.

He had almost reached the training grounds when his sensei suddenly appeared before him, blocking his path.

"Sasuke. I need to talk to you. Alone."

"About what?"

Kakashi seemed a bit hesitant. Did this have something to do with Orochimaru? Or maybe Itachi?

Sasuke waited anxiously for him to speak.

"It's about your sister."

He drew in a sharp breath.

Kaede? Why on earth would he mention her? She'd been gone for years.

"What about her?" Sasuke asked, pressing him for details.

"She's returned."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's in the village. She has been for two days now, but she's currently under house arrest."

"House arrest?"

"Your sister abandoned the village. There is a very real possibility that she poses a threat to us. The Fifth ordered her to be kept under surveillance until she can be proven innocent."

Sasuke listened to his words, but it didn't seem to sink in properly. It felt too strange hearing about her, knowing she was in the village.

After all this time, his cowardly sister had come out of hiding.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Sasuke asked, folding his arms. He saw Kakashi's visible eye narrow slightly.

"Don't you want to see her? She is your sister after all."

"She broke any bond we had when she left. I have no business with her."

With that said, Sasuke walked past his sensei as if nothing had happened. He didn't have time for family reunions.

His hand went up to his neck, covering the cursed seal Orochimaru had given him.

He had his own things to worry about.

Kakashi stared expectantly at her face, waiting for her reaction. Having just told her that her own brother didn't want to see her, he had expected her to at least be disappointed.

But she seemed to be the opposite.

Her eyes were calm and she wore an easy smile on her face. He noticed she smiled a lot, however he could sense that her mouth was the only thing that wanted to participate in the act.

Her smile was meant to deceive.

Still, she didn't seem at all surprised by her brother's coldness.

"I expected as much. It's been 7 years. It's only natural that we've grown apart. You didn't have to tell him I was here."

"I figured he's the reason you came back. If not to see him, then why?"

He watched as her smile faded away and her eyes became distant. She chose to avert her gaze to the cup of tea between her hands.

It was obvious she wasn't going to state her reasons.

At that point, Kakashi couldn't help thinking how much she had changed since he last saw her. He had often heard of Itachi's talented younger sister, back when she was still a novice in the academy. Everyone was anxious to see if she would be as impressive as her brother.

He often wondered how she would have turned out if Itachi hadn't done what he had.

Still, she had come a long way from the skinny 11 year old girl he had once protected. She was now a grown woman, and he had no doubt that she would have had many suitors had her position been slightly different.

She was such an enigma.

"Ne, Kakashi-san."

"Hm?"

"Do you really believe I'm a bad person?"

Kakashi froze on the spot, staring at her. For the first time since she had arrived, she looked vulnerable. She didn't meet his gaze, but he could see by the way her shoulders sagged she was cracking under the pressure of a heavy burden.

His instincts told him she was feeling guilty about something she had done, and most likely it had been bad.

But his feelings told him something else.

"No, I don't think you're a bad person, Kaede-chan."

Her head shot up at the affectionate use of her name. Another smile came to her lips, but this time he could tell it was genuine.

Still, her eyes remained sad.

The look didn't suit her, but no matter what, he couldn't play the compassionate hero.

She could just as easily be deceiving him.

"You do realize that no matter how good your behavior is, unless you do something to prove your loyalties, the village will never accept you."

In a second her demeanor had changed. Her soft features hardened and she straightened her body, folding her arms across her chest.

"Being accepted by the village is not on my list of priorities. I could never stay here, not while _**they're **_still alive."

"They?"

She rose to her feet in one swift movement. Without meeting his gaze, she spoke.

"I've said too much already. Excuse me."

Kakashi had no choice but to watch her leave, retiring for the night.

The gears of his mind were working furiously, trying to figure out the meaning behind her words. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, but the picture was still unclear.

Who was this "they" she was referring to, and what was it about them that worried her?

Or better yet, why was he so interested? This shouldn't be his problem.

But. . .

There was just something about her that drew him. Maybe it was because he could see himself in her. She was one person who could _**truly **_understand him.

But he was being an idiot.

Uchiha Kaede was still considered a prisoner.

He could _**not **_allow his feelings to compromise his task of watching her.

Not two hours later, he heard something that made the very blood in his veins run cold.

He heard her scream.

I barricaded myself in my room after my brief conversation with Kakashi.

I was mad at myself for giving away so much. My moment of weakness may have ruined everything. He would never trust me now.

Not that it should bother me. I was only here for a brief time, just to make sure Sasuke was still ok. It didn't matter that he didn't want to see me; I could still keep an eye on him.

I moved over to the bed and sat down, drawing my knees up to my body. My stay here with Kakashi was taking its toll on me. He had an effect on me.

Part of me wanted to tell him everything, to hear him reassure me and tell me everything would be alright.

But I could never allow myself to put him danger. It was better not to associate myself with others, not while I was a target.

Glancing outside, I saw it was still quite early, but seeing as I was confined to this house, I had no choice but to climb into bed early.

I had never spent so much time sleeping as I had the past few days that I had been in Konohagakure. It was as if I were catching up on years of sleepless nights.

I removed most of my clothes until I was comfortable enough before settling under the covers. The soft, warm bed quickly lulled me into a deep sleep.

Time passed. How long, I don't know. I woke when I felt a sudden burning on my back, in the exact spot where Hannya was sealed.

Sitting upright, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, trying to reach inside of me and calm Hannya down.

But the burning became worse. I could feel Hannya's chakra pulsing through my body, growing steadily stronger.

I began to panic. Nothing I did would suppress the demon.

It felt as if my whole body was on fire.

I screamed, unable to take it anymore. At some point I must have fallen off the bed, because I could feel the cool wood against my hot skin. Had I known my eyes were flickering between normal and Sharingan, I would have understood why my vision was blurred. But at that moment, I could think of nothing but the uncontrollable beast inside of me, threatening to rip my insides to shreds.

"Kaede!"

His voice broke through the pain, bringing me slightly to my senses. I turned my head to look for him.

He was standing at the door, looking down at me. His left eye was uncovered, and the sight of his Sharingan sent shivers down my spine.

Hannya stirred again, causing me to lose focus. I felt like I was slipping over the edge, losing myself.

I might have fallen had it not been for him.

He was at my side in a second, pulling my limp body into his lap. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly against his chest. I could hear his rapid heartbeat, and the sound calmed me down.

I closed my eyes, leaning further into his embrace. I was unaware of the tears that were rolling down my cheeks, soaking his shirt.

Slowly I regained control of myself. Hannya settled down and the pain dispersed. My body cooled, but a slight headache lingered.

After a couple of minutes of just sitting, Kakashi pulled back slightly to look at me.

"Are you alright?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice enough to speak. I was still a bit shaken up by the whole thing.

Kakashi rose to his feet, pulling me with him. His arms still supported me, and I allowed myself to be lead to the kitchen. He sat me down and started boiling up a pot of tea.

I avoided his gaze the whole time until he was seated across from me, two cups of steaming tea standing before us.

"Care to explain what happened to you?"

I didn't reply. How could I tell him what I was?

"Alright, I'm going to take a guess. You're a Jinchuuriki."

I gasped, looking up at him in surprise.

"How did you know?"

He shrugged.

"I have experience with bijuu. Uzumaki Naruto is in my team."

"The Nine-tails kid? I had forgotten about him. So that's why Hannya got so out of control."

"Hannya?"

"That's the name of the demon inside of me."

His eyes widened a bit.

"So there is a demon. How did this happen to you?"

I wondered if I should tell him. At the moment, I was desperate to talk to someone, and he seemed to understand somewhat.

I gazed into his eyes and felt my doubts disappear.

He _**would **_understand.

And so, I began telling him my story.


	12. 11: Ties that Bind

11: Ties that Bind

**11: Ties that Bind******

"Kakashi, do you realize what you are asking of me?"

"Hai."

"Not only could your life be in danger, but also the lives of the many innocent people that live in this village."

"I will take full responsibility."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Kakashi had to admit, his request must seem strange.

Asking the Hokage to recall ANBU from their surveillance job without giving sufficient reason was a bit of a stretch.

But he had no choice. He couldn't betray _**her **_trust.

"You know something, don't you?"

The silver-haired Jounin made no attempt at a reply. Instead, he silently prayed the Fifth wouldn't press him for details.

Fortunately, Tsunade-sama was an understanding woman.

"Very well Kakashi. I will do as you request, but know that I am trusting you to handle this in a professional manner. The Uchiha girl is beautiful, but strange. Do not let your feelings cloud your judgment."

It was strange for him to hear someone say that. Kakashi had always been known for his strict adherence to rules and teamwork. He never allowed personal feelings to distract him from a mission.

A small part of his brain wondered if that would still be the case in this situation. Wasn't he already making decisions based on what he was feeling? After all, he was asking for Kaede to be released into his care alone based on what he felt was the truth. If it turned out his gut feeling was wrong, there could be serious consequences.

He hoped to God she wasn't deceiving him.

Kakashi left the Hokage's office in a hurry, half of him anxious to get home and tell Kaede the news. They had talked late into the night, or actually, he had listened while she spilled her story.

She had been so fragile, so desperate for some kind of relief.

Seeing her tears fall so freely had made him despise the bastard who did this to her.

He found her sitting on her bed, staring outside. Her eyes were still a bit puffy from the previous night, but other than that, she looked her usual calm self.

"I want you to come with me."

"Where to?" she asked, keeping her gaze outside.

"To meet my team."

This caught her attention, and she turned her head sharply to look at him.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Are you forgetting what happened the last time Hannya sensed the Kyuubi?"

Kakashi walked closer and sat down on the edge of the bed, turning his body slightly to face her.

"I'll be with you the whole time."

He held out his hand for her, waiting to see if she would agree. She watched him carefully, the gears of her mind working.

He hoped she would put her trust in him again, because maybe a small part of him _**needed **_it. It had been a long time since someone had put their trust in him on such an intimate level.

Kaede slowly lifted her hand and grasped his, looking him square in the eye. Her captivatingly dark eyes said more than her lips ever could. She was putting complete faith in him, trusting that he would watch over her.

He vowed to do exactly that.

Uchiha Sasuke was not in a good mood.

Not only was their sensei late – again, but he and Naruto had gotten into an argument the previous night while on their way home. He couldn't even remember what had started it all, but he did know that the noisy blonde had been very, very angry.

Not that he cared of course, but he didn't appreciate the death glares being constantly shot in his direction.

No, he was definitely not in a good mood, and his entire body was anxious to start training and get rid of his frustrations.

Damn, where was that lazy teacher?

"Kaka-sensei! You're late!!" Naruto yelled, pointing an accusing finger at the sliver-haired Copy ninja.

"Ah gomen. I had some business to take care of," he answered apologetically.

Sasuke turned to confront the teacher, but instead he found himself staring into a pair of familiar eyes.

_No, it can't be. . ._

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, neither uttering a word.

She looked a lot like their deceased mother, but at the same time, so different. Her eyes were like bottomless pools of nothing. Her mouth was the kind of mouth that could easily go from a smile to a scowl without it affecting the rest of her face. She wore her silky black hair in a braid.

He had always liked it better loose.

"Team, this is Kaede. Kaede-san, this is Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and – " Kakashi paused, glancing uncertainly at Sasuke.

"Uchiha "pig-head" Sasuke!" Naruto finished loudly.

"What did you say, you clumsy idiot?!"

"I'm not the clumsy idiot, you are!"

"Scaredy-cat!"

"Emo idiot!"

"Loser!"

"Kisama!"

"Alright, that's enough you two," said Kakashi, stepping between the arguing boys.

Sasuke clicked his tongue impatiently, sliding his hands into his pockets and turning away from the group.

This day was just getting worse.

"Oh. . .I just noticed something."

"Huh? What did you notice, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, sidling up to the pink-haired girl.

"Don't you think Sasuke and Kaede-san look somewhat alike?"

Both Genin peered closely at the two in question. Kaede glanced sideways at Sasuke, who was still facing the other way.

"Now that you mention it. . ."

"Ne Kaede-san, what did you say your last name was?"

Sasuke turned abruptly to face his team.

"Her full name is Uchiha Kaede."

"Eh?! Uchiha?"

"But I thought – "

The Uchiha siblings faced each other, not bothering to answer the others' questions. Kakashi was standing to one side, silently watching the exchange.

"So, you acknowledge me as your sister then?"

"We may share a last name, but you are no sister of mine."

A light smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth, and her hands went to her hips.

"My, aren't we the little rebel?"

"What is your purpose in coming here?"

"My purpose is my own."

"You should just leave now. This is no longer your home. You don't belong here."

"No Sasuke, maybe I don't, but I'm not here to cause you or anyone else any trouble."

"Funny, Itachi said something similar when he was here."

Sasuke was amused by the change that came over his sister when he mentioned Itachi's name. He had always been her weak spot.

"Itachi . . .was here?"

"He was. I confronted him, but he used "that" technique on me again."

This time he could see the incontrovertible fear in her eyes. He knew very well how much she hated that technique.

"Sasuke, I . . ."

"Don't let it bother you too much, _**Onee-chan**_. After all, you chose to run away from it all. You were not strong enough to handle what had happened, and you will never be strong enough to face our brother. You are a coward who abandoned me and – "

He never got a chance to complete his sentence, as Kaede's palm made contact with his face.

He looked up at her and was surprised to see tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

"Baka."

Before anyone could react, she turned and took off, disappearing from sight.

Sasuke stood watching with his hand pressed to his cheek, his mouth hanging slightly open.

Her eyes. . .

Had he really made her cry?

The sun became hotter as noon approached. I shifted my position slightly so that I was in the shade.

Lying here on the front porch of our old house, I couldn't help recalling memories from the good times.

From this position, I could see anyone who approached the house. As a child, I would often sit out here for hours, watching for Itachi's return. While he was still in the Academy, he would always come home at sunset. I remembered the elation that would course through my veins when I spotted him walking down the road towards the house.

During later years, as Itachi rose in the ranks, he would often not come home until late. Still I kept up the habit of waiting for him, even though I almost always fell asleep outside. My father would always have to carry me inside and put me to bed.

_Otosan, Okasan, why. . ._

Covering my eyes with my hand, I silently cursed myself for showing such weakness. Every day that I spent in Konoha, my fighting spirit grew weaker. It had been a mistake to come here. I would have to leave soon if I wanted to keep my strength and my sanity.

I couldn't take the memories anymore.

I couldn't take the pain anymore.

"I thought I would find you here."

Startled, my eyes snapped open and I found myself staring at Sasuke. His eyes looked different this time, softer almost.

"Here to insult me some more?"

"No, I. . ."

I pushed myself into a sitting position, waiting for him to continue. He sighed and moved to sit down next to me.

"Why did you come back, Kaede?"

"I came to see you."

"I'm doing fine by myself, thank you."

"I can see that, but I'm still your sister."

He scoffed at my remark, but I didn't try to react this time. I waited for him to say what he wanted to say.

"Don't act like you care. After everything that happened, you just left me by myself."

I turned to look at him.

"You're comparing me with him, aren't you?" I asked softly after a moment.

He glared and looked away, angry.

I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning forward a little, folding my hands in front of my face.

"Sasuke, what is it that Itachi said to you before he disappeared?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, a dark look crossing his face as he thought back.

"_**If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life. And one day, when you have the same eyes as me, come before me."**_

I nodded once he had finished.

"Right, and despite what he did to us, you have been doing exactly what he asked of you."

I watched in amusement as he opened his mouth to protest, but it quickly shut again when he realized I was right.

"You don't understand. I must find him and kill him."

"Well Sasuke, maybe Itachi, in some strange and twisted way, wanted you to do exactly that. I can't pretend that I understand what our brother was planning when he left us alive, but ever since that day, we've been doing what he said."

The furrow between his eyebrows deepened.

"We?"

"I never told you this, but Itachi said something to me too."

His frown faded, replaced by a wide-eyed look of surprise.

"What did he say?" he demanded.

I took a deep breath and cleared my throat.

"_**Little sister, you have known all along what I am capable of. You knew, yet you were content with living in my shadow, not daring to step out and be your own person. Until you learn what it means to be a superior shinobi, you will never be able to achieve the power you so desire. You are still too weak."**_

"That bastard! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"You were 8 years old Sasuke. It was my job to protect you. A part of me will always blame myself for what happened. I knew Itachi better than anyone. He was a genius, but a troubled one, and I alone understood that. Maybe if I had done more, I could have prevented him from doing what he did."

"That's ridiculous! You cannot be held responsible for Itachi's actions."

"Can't I?"

He lapsed into silence, but he still did not look at me.

I continued.

"You've lived your life alone, becoming stronger because you believed it was necessary in order to avenge our family by killing Itachi. I felt the same way, only for different reasons. I left not only for you, but for myself as well. I needed to build a new life for myself, away from who I used to be, to become who I am today. Like you, I needed to become stronger, and like you, I needed to do it alone."

He was looking at me now, the anger melted away from his face. I turned to face him and smiled a genuine smile.

"I'm still your sister who loves you, Sasuke. That never changed and it never will."

I got to my feet, keeping my back to him. I gazed up into the clear blue sky, allowing that familiar sense of freedom to overwhelm my senses. A calm filled me, and I turned back to face my younger brother.

"Sasuke, I don't agree with your desire to kill Itachi."

"What?"

"I've spent years getting stronger for this reason alone – to save my family. I'm not trying to justify what he did, but a part of me still believes he is a good person."

"There is _**nothing **_good about that son-of-a-bitch."

"You may not believe that, but know that I will not hesitate to stand in your way. You can curse and threaten all you want, but unless you plan to take my life, you cannot stop me. I have made my decision."

I walked away, leaving him to himself, to think things over. Maybe he would change his mind about killing Itachi, but maybe he wouldn't. It didn't matter, as long as he knew where I stood.

I wanted the hurt to stop.


	13. 12: Trials and Tribulations

12: Trials and Tribulations 

**12: Trials and Tribulations ******

I was awake long before the sun was up, but made no attempt to rise just yet. I could feel Kakashi's warm breath on the back of my neck, and I lay quietly, listening to the sound of his even breathing.

As I watched the room get lighter with the coming of dawn, I thought of the many things that had happened so far.

I had never pictured myself like this. Maybe coming to Konoha had been a mistake, but it was a mistake I would gladly make again. I had never felt so happy and content in all my life.

Kakashi was as wonderful as I had imagined. He was an incredibly talented shinobi with great strength, and yet it was his gentleness that never ceased to amaze me.

During the day, he was a deadly weapon, completing his missions swiftly and precisely, but at night, when he came back to me, he became the complete opposite.

Those hands, so used to being tools of destruction, became tools of pleasure. Those eyes, which usually gave away nothing of what he was feeling, became alive with all sorts of emotions while he made love to me.

Every touch, every kiss, every whisper – all of them showing off his love for me. His strong arms would hold me all through the night, cradling my body as if it were made of delicate porcelain. His sensual mouth would leave trails of kisses all along my neck and shoulders, sometimes moving up to claim my mouth in a slow, passionate kiss.

I always felt safe and loved when with him. When we lay together under the sheets, pale moonlight filtering through the blinds and lighting up parts of our bodies, he would always whisper terms of endearment to me before falling asleep.

Sometimes he would drift off holding me against him, sometimes he fell asleep with his head nestled against my chest while I stroked his hair.

But never did he go so far as to actually _**say **_he loved me.

I didn't let it bother me. I knew better than that. But still, it would be nice to hear the words come from his lips.

The only bad thing in the past year of me being in Konoha had been Sasuke's fairly recent departure.

I can't say I was surprised when I heard the news, but it was still upsetting. I had faith in his abilities and knew he wouldn't die so easily. I would have liked to be near him all the time, as our relationship was just starting to get better, but with the paths we had chosen, separation was inevitable.

His friends took it harder than I had. They refused to give up on him, which to me proved they were good friends, but they had a hard time understanding his reasoning.

Other than that, the village had come to accept my presence here, though they still kept a close eye on me. I could understand their feelings.

What worried me most was the fact that I had stayed here so long. I felt sure that Ryushi would know about me by now, but there had been no sign of either him or Melfice.

Yet.

I felt Kakashi stir behind me and lay still, pretending to still be asleep. He slipped out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. After a moment I heard the shower being turned on and relaxed a little, pulling the sheets up higher.

I hated to think what would happen if Melfice did show up. I had survived losing my family, I had survived losing my friend, I had even survived losing Sasuke again, but I would _**never **_survive if I had to lose Kakashi too.

My feelings for him actually scared me. I had never needed someone so much before. Of course I loved my brothers dearly, but my love for the Copy Ninja was so much more, so different.

I turned my face so that it was buried in the pillow and allowed myself to cry silent tears.

Why did I always have to suffer? Why couldn't I just have a normal life? Why couldn't my past just leave me alone?

Amidst all my troubled thoughts, I failed to hear the water being turned off or the footsteps that approached the bed. It was only when I felt the bed shift with the extra weight that I realized Kakashi was there.

"Are you crying?"

I shook my head firmly, but my shaking shoulders gave me away.

"You know I hate to see you cry."

He grasped one of my hands and pulled me up into a sitting position, using his other hand to turn my face towards him.

I never ceased to marvel at how handsome he was. Why he hid such a perfect face from the world was beyond me.

He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly to his warm body. No matter what was happening, I always found comfort in his embrace.

"Tell me what it is that made you cry, and I'll fix it."

"Baka. It's because of you that I cry."

He pulled back a little so he could look into my eyes.

"Did I do something to hurt you?"

"Yes. You made me fall in love with you."

His warm smile made my heart melt.

"And is that so bad?"

"I don't want to lose you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

His smile faded and he took on a more somber expression. Gently, he traced my jaw with one of his fingers.

"Listen to me, no matter what happens, you and I will always be together, in here," he said, placing his hand on my chest where my heart was.

I gave him a watery smile before wrapping my arms around his neck. His arms snaked around my back, holding me tightly.

"Kaede I. . ."

I paused. Was this it? Was he finally going to say it?

"Yes?"

He was quiet for a moment, and I waited anxiously as the seconds ticked by.

"No, it's nothing."

"Ohayou Kaede-san!"

I turned to see Sakura hurrying over to me. The pink-haired kunoichi had matured a lot in the past year. Most likely this was because of her training under the Fifth. I had often seen them together at the training grounds, and even I had to admit it was harsh.

But Sakura was doing well. Even Naruto was doing well. He was currently being trained by Jiraiya-sama, one of the three legendary Sannin. Though they still went on missions together at times, Team 7 was slowly drifting apart.

I didn't blame them. A lot was happening. Kakashi told me they suspected the Akatsuki would be after Naruto again, and that they needed to be ready for them.

I hadn't thought of my brother's gang since coming here. They had been lying low it seemed, though I couldn't say for sure I knew what they were doing. Only a few people knew about the notorious group of S-class criminals, and the mere sound of their name made everyone nervous.

"Ohayou Sakura. On your way to the training grounds?"

"No, I'm meeting Master at the Hokage mansion. We're doing medic training today."

"I see. And Naruto?"

"He's out with Kiba-kun's team, following up another lead."

"So he hasn't given up yet?"

"Of course not!" she yelled, balling her hands into fists. I sighed softly to myself.

"Sakura, I understand you're upset, but you need to keep your chin up alright. My idiotic brother's actions aren't something to get all upset about," I said jokingly.

She didn't smile.

"How can you say that? You're his sister! Shouldn't _**you **_be the one out there looking for him?" she demanded.

My smile faded and I looked down.

"Sakura, don't talk about things you don't understand."

She went quiet, guilt spreading across her face.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," she whispered.

I put my arm around her shoulder.

"Listen Sakura, I know it will be difficult for you to understand, but this is something Sasuke felt he needed to do."

She shook her head furiously, blinking back tears of anger and frustration.

"But he went to Orochimaru! He could be in danger!"

"You need to believe in him, Sakura. Sasuke isn't just a pretty boy. He knows as well as I the danger he's putting himself in, but he won't allow anything to happen. His will is too strong for that."

Sakura wiped her eyes and nodded.

"Now cheer up. You'll see him again," I said.

She smiled weakly, her face brightening considerably.

I smiled at her, but at that very moment, I sensed a dark and ominous presence. My smile disappeared and I froze, looking around me for the source. People were casually strolling by, going about their daily chores. I couldn't see anyone suspicious, but the feeling stuck.

"Kaede-san, is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine. You should run along, you don't want to be late."

"Hai."

I watched Sakura leave before slipping into a nearby alley. The presence was becoming fainter by the minute.

I crouched down, reaching down inside of me and drawing on Hannya's powers. My senses were instantly heightened and I took off, bounding across the rooftops in pursuit of the presence.

I quickly located him and picked up the pace.

The presence disappeared completely as I reached a clump of trees. I stopped on the ground, staying in a crouched position while looking around. There was no sign of anyone having been here.

_Strange. . ._

I was about to leave when I spied something in a nearby tree.

There, seated on a branch, was a large bird.

It was a strange looking creature, with grey and white feathers, speckled with spots of blue. A tuft of brown feathers stuck out from the top of its head, and I noticed it held something in its yellow beak.

I knew the bird all too well.

Rising to my feet I walked closer to the tree, whistling sharply. The bird responded by swooping down from its perch to land on my outstretched arm. I took the note from its beak and stroked its chest.

"Go on now, Skye."

The bird lifted from my arm and disappeared in the trees. I watched it go before sitting down.

I opened the note and read it.

My eyes ran over the page, taking in its context. When I finally finished, I crumpled the page in my fist and tossed it on the ground in frustration.

He had found me in the end.

Tsunade informed me that Kakashi wouldn't be returning that day seeing as the mission was taking longer than expected.

This proved to be beneficial for me as I didn't want to have him worry.

I left the house an hour before midnight, making my way through the deserted streets of Konoha at a leisurely pace.

My thoughts kept drifting back to the note. Its instructions had been clear.

I was to meet him in the clearing where the memorial stone stood and I was to come alone.

I didn't dare disobey, not when I knew what he could do.

I reached the clearing and stopped, waiting. After a few moments of tense silence, two figures appeared. I recognized both of them.

Ryushi and Melfice.

I avoided looking at Melfice, focusing instead on the older man.

He had aged.

His black hair was speckled with streaks of grey and his face was creased with wrinkles. But his eyes were still that strange green color.

"Ah, so you came. I knew you would."

"What do you want from me?" I asked, annoyed by the man's arrogant nature.

He tilted his head slightly, smiling the same easy smile I had picked up from him.

"I have a job for you."

"Forget it," I hissed, letting my anger get the better of me. The older man walked closer to me.

I stood my ground, refusing to back away and show any fear.

"Are you forgetting who gave you your life?"

I gritted my teeth as his hand brushed against my cheek.

"When I found you, you were on the brink of death. You wouldn't have survived a day longer if I hadn't felt sorry for you," he added, his eyes staring into mine with such intensity. I felt his fingers twirl a lock of my hair.

I closed my eyes and turned my head away.

"You ruined my life," I whispered.

"I made you stronger."

"You put this thing inside of me!" I retaliated, clenching my fists tightly at my sides.

"And it gave you strength you never thought you could have. Are you forgetting what your brother did? I made it so that no one ever doubted your power again."

Again I looked away, troubled by his words.

He reached out and rested his hand on my face, turning my gaze back to him.

I watched him a moment, then smacked his hand away, taking a step back to put some distance between us.

"I want nothing to do with you any more! I'm not saying this again, stay the hell away from me."

I turned and started off in the direction of the village, but his voice stopped me.

"I don't want to threaten you Kaede-kun, but if I have to I will. You wouldn't want anything to happen to that man you've allowed yourself to get close to now would you?"

Luckily my back was towards him, or he would have seen the horror in my eyes. I took a moment to compose myself, allowing my eyes to lose all emotion before turning to face him.

"If you lay one hand on any innocent person in this village, I'll kill you myself."

He chuckled slightly.

"See now _**that's**_ the Kaede I want to see. You'll need that ruthlessness for the task ahead of you."

I stood unmoving, my face a calm mask that hid my rage. I knew I had no choice but to hear him out. If he said he would hurt Kakashi, then he would.

I couldn't touch the man with his little henchman around.

My eyes slid over to Melfice. He stood at Ryushi's side, his face blank, his eyes void of all emotion. He didn't look at me, but I could tell he sensed my gaze.

What a fool he was.

"What is it that you want?" I asked, avoiding Ryushi's eyes. I could see him smile out of the corner of my eye.

"I'm sure you're aware of the Jinchuuriki in this village. Rumor has it the Akatsuki tried to capture him and failed. I want you and Melfice to work together on this one and capture the little brat. I want that bijuu for myself, before the Akatsuki try again."

My mind was spinning.

I thought about attacking them now, while they were unprepared. Maybe I could get Ryushi, but Melfice would pose a problem. Would he still fight me if his master was dead?

Yes, he would want revenge. But maybe I could convince him. . .

No, it would be foolish to attack now. Maybe I should follow them after the meeting.

Wait, Melfice would be able to sense me.

Perhaps I should agree and then sabotage the mission? But what if Kakashi found out? What if he thought I had betrayed him and the village? I didn't want that!

I took a deep breath to calm myself down and tried to clear my thoughts. What did I do?

What _**could **_I do?

"We'll give you three days to decide. Melfice will stick around until then. If you refuse, consider your little boyfriend dead. If you agree, Melfice will inform you of the details of the plan."

Ryushi disappeared, but Melfice still lingered. Our eyes met for the first time tonight. He didn't look all that much different from the last time I had seen him.

Without a word, Melfice turned his back on me and followed after Ryushi. I watched him leave, feeling my heart sink.

"Oh Melfice, how did we end up like this?"


	14. 13: Fight Between Friends

13: Fight Between Friends

**13: Fight Between Friends******

"Three days?" Tsunade asked, clearly surprised by the short amount of time.

"Hai."

"Will that be enough time?"

"It will have to be."

The Fifth closed her eyes and lowered her head to hide her worry. I could understand her concern, but right now I needed her trust and support.

"I know I haven't given you reason to trust me, but you must believe me. I need to try and stop him myself, but in case I fail, you should have shinobi ready to defend Naruto."

"You're really willing to sacrifice yourself for Naruto?"

"I'm not doing this just for him. I'm doing it for myself, and the people I love. I cannot let this go on anymore. It is my responsibility."

Tsunade sighed and looked up at me, her eyes softening.

"You are a brave kunoichi, Kaede. I can see now why Kakashi loves you so much."

At the sound of Kakashi's name, I turned my face away. The Hokage had informed me that his mission had become complicated and that he would be gone for a while longer until everything was sorted out, but I refused her offer to have him recalled.

I didn't want him around when I faced Melfice. Three days from now, I would confront my once best friend. I wasn't going to let him hurt anyone.

I would stand up to him.

Even if it killed me.

I bowed respectfully and left her office, making my way over to the training grounds.

Three days.

That's all I had to get in some last minute training.

I wasn't as strong as Melfice, but it didn't matter.

I had to do this.

The morning of the third day was cloudy and grey. By late afternoon, there was a constant downpour of rain.

The village seemed to be deserted while everyone took shelter indoors.

Everyone, except me.

My hair was already plastered to my head and neck and my clothes were dripping with water, but I didn't let it distract me from my goal.

His presence was getting stronger and I knew he was close. I stopped walking and stood quietly, listening.

The only sound to be heard was the patter of the rain against the leaves of the surrounding trees.

But then I heard footsteps, slow and deliberate, making their way towards me. A figure materialized in the distance and I watched intently as it approached. When the person was a few feet away, he stopped.

I stared at the man's dark hair which was dripping with the rain and his cold red eyes.  
"Well well well, you actually showed up. I must say I'm surprised. I thought you would have run away with your tail between your legs."

I didn't attempt a comeback to his snide remark. Instead, I turned attention to the main point of today's meeting.

"I've made my decision, Melfice."

"Have you now? And what is it that you decided?" he asked.

I gathered what courage I had left.

"I won't help you capture Naruto."

He grinned.

"Oh I see now. You think you can actually try and stop me. I admire your sudden courage, Kaede-kun, but there's nothing you can do. Understand, if you try to interfere I will make sure to kill you this time," he stated bluntly.

I shook my head sadly.

"What's happened to you Melfice? You were my best friend."

"That was a long time ago Kaede, before you abandoned me."

"Abandoned you? That's not what I was doing. Ryushi destroyed my life!"

"He gave you power, and you repaid him by running away."

"I didn't need his "favor". The demon almost destroyed me."

Melfice crossed his arms and looked away.

"You were just not strong enough."

His words echoed in my head, reminding me of Itachi. I clenched my fists and activated my Sharingan.

"Let's go!" I shouted before launching myself at him.

I produced a kunai and brought it down on him, but he dodged it and punched me in my stomach, sending me flying backwards.

I landed on the ground, holding my stomach with one hand and clutching the kunai with the other.

He was fast, but I couldn't let that discourage me. Tightening my grip on the kunai, I lunged at him again.

He tried punching again, but I evaded it this time and kicked out at his legs. He jumped into the air to avoid me but I jumped up with him and punched him in his face.

He crashed into the ground while I landed nimbly on my feet nearby. He lifted himself enough to look at me and wiped some blood from his torn lip.

He chuckled lightly to himself, but I remained solemn-faced.

"What's so funny?"

"You're so predictable, Kaede. You forget that I know all your moves and techniques."

"And I know yours," I replied.

He got to his feet and smirked.

"Why are you trying to defend this boy? He means nothing to you."

I looked down for a moment into the puddles of water that were forming on the ground. When I looked back up, Melfice was still waiting.

"Because that boy has a dream. He didn't ask to be given this curse, yet he chooses to look past it and continues to strive for his ideals. He doesn't deserve to die just yet."

Melfice's smirk faded, replaced by a sudden sadness.

"You had a dream too, Melfice, but you chose to give it up for the sake of someone else."

Melfice looked down, but his arms were shaking slightly. His head shot up and his eyes were full of anger and rage.

"What do you know?! You're just a weakling who wanders around from place to place. You have no purpose."

"You're wrong Melfice. I killed many people in my lifetime, and I could almost be compared to my brother Itachi, but I've found people who accept me despite my past. I made a promise to protect my family and loved ones, and if that means giving up my own life to do so, then so be it."

Melfice launched an attack, a kunai in his hand. I counter-attacked with my own kunai.

He jumped back and threw a couple of shuriken at me. I used a kunai to block, but one of them caught me in the leg, slicing across my thigh and leaving a bloody gash.

I winced with the pain and dropped to my one knee, breathing heavily. The rain washed my blood away, leaving a red trail behind me.

Steadily I got to my feet and the fight began again. About ten minutes later, both of us were bloodied and bruised, breathing heavily, but neither one showing any signs of stopping.

"This is pointless Kaede."

"Shut up! You've been holding back on me," I argued.

"Well I thought I'd give you a chance to reconsider fighting me, but since you're so keen on dying, I'll go serious on you."

He put his hands together in a hand sign and instantly I knew what he was planning to do.

He wanted to release Itsumaden.

In my current state I wouldn't stand a chance against him in that form, but I wasn't too keen on releasing my own demon again.

Kakashi's face flashed in my mind, and I knew what had to be done. I did the same as him, putting my hands together and closing me eyes. There was a moment of silence before our eyes snapped open.

"Release!"

The rain continued to pour down, but neither I nor Melfice took notice.

He stood with his arms crossed, two black wings folded behind him. His eyes were glowing.

I was crouched on the ground on all fours, ready to pounce.

The time slipped by with neither of us making a move. Each one was waiting for the other.

Finally he moved. He was fast, but I managed to match his speed. We collided, the force throwing us back.

He opened his wings and lifted into the air. Between each of his fingers he held a shuriken and he threw them down at me. I held up my arms to try and defend, but the blades slashed my body. Melfice landed and began walking towards me.

"Are you ready to die, Kaede?"

Before I could do anything he began running, a kunai in his hand. I closed my eyes and my body reacted.

A sharp pain shot through my body. I opened my eyes to see the kunai deeply penetrated just below my right shoulder. Melfice was still holding onto it, his face close to mine.

"Damn bitch."

He looked down at the kunai jammed into his stomach, the one I had pushed into him during his attack.

His eyes shut as he flinched from the pain and he stepped back, falling to his knees.

I collapsed as well, standing on my hands and knees and watching my blood run down my arm into the water. I removed the kunai and tossed it aside before placing my hand over the wound.

I looked up to see Melfice gasping in pain as he removed my kunai. He too was bleeding and vulnerable.

I knew I had to react now.

Standing to my feet, I held my hands together, ready to perform a jutsu. Melfice pushed himself up as well.

"You're weak Kaede, you can't defeat me," he called out.

"You're wrong. . .Melfice," I said while fighting past the pain. "I. . .won't give up. Not when. . .I made. . .a promise to. . .my brother!"

Melfice held out his hands, his wings spreading out behind him. His hands performed a series of seals and I watched as visible swirls of wind, spinning like tornado's, started forming around his hands and arms, _kaze no yaiba, his wind blade technique._ Melfice was drawing on Itsumaden's air chakra to create blades of pure air.

One of his favorite techniques.

In that case, I would do one of my favorites.

As he gathered the storm dark winds around him, I drew on Hannya's fire chakra, to form _kasai_ _subeta, _fire sword, the only technique I knew that could match his.

But there was a drawback, both our techniques were offensive, there was no way we could avoid striking each other, perhaps even fatally.

I knew I had to try one more time to stop him from attacking, and yet, almost by itself, my body started reacting to his menace. My hands started forming the seals to release the power held trapped in me. White hot light formed in my hands and mind, ready to cut and burn my enemy, my friend.

"You don't. . .have to be treated. . .like an object. Ryushi doesn't. . .own you. . .and you owe him . . nothing. Stop this. . .please, Melfice."

I noticed his eyes widen in surprise, but then they narrowed again.

"Die Kaede!" he shouted as he lunged at me.

I did the same.

Time seemed to slow down. I could hear my own heartbeat as Melfice came closer and closer. I could see the faces of Sasuke and Kakashi before me.

_For them. I have to defeat him for them!_

Our powers collided. A brilliant white light exploded outwards, surrounding us. The thundering boom that erupted from the collision echoed throughout the forest.

I closed my eyes against the light.

Finally, after a few moments, I slowly opened my eyes. The rain had stopped now, and the clouds were moving on. Patches of the night sky were starting to appear.

The ground around my feet was scorched by the explosion of the attack. My body felt like lead and I dropped to my knees, my vision blurring. I looked up to see Melfice lying on his back, his eyes closed.

"Melfice," I cried, reaching out with my hand. I crawled towards him and placed my hands on his chest.

"Melfice, wake up. Melfice! Melfice!"

But he wouldn't stir. Pain shot through my body and I collapsed onto his chest.

"Melfice. You were my only friend during that time I was with Ryushi. You were always there, at my side, fighting alongside me. Both of us tried so hard to please Ryushi, but you probably more so. I'm sorry it had to come to this."

My body was wracked by a sudden pain, and I coughed some blood up. I blinked to try and clear my vision, but it remained obscure.

_Kakashi, Sasuke, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say . . ._

_. . .goodbye._


	15. 14: Confessions

14: Confessions

**14: Confessions******

Kakashi burst through the hospital's front door and paused, glancing around frantically before starting forward again.

He ignored the nurses' pleas for him to stop and continued on, searching for Tsunade.

He spotted the attractive blonde heading towards the theater doors and rushed towards her.

"Where is she?"

"Calm down Kakashi. She's in the operating room now."

"How is she?"

The Fifth sighed, glancing down at the report she held in her hands.

"Three broken ribs, fractured collar bone, severe internal bleeding, and a concussion. I won't lie to you, Kakashi. She's in critical condition. If we hadn't found her in time, she would have bled to death. We've stabilized her for now, but I'll still need to operate."

"Can you heal her?"

"I'll do what I can, but whether she pulls through or not depends on her will to survive."

"I still don't understand how this happened."

"We'll talk later. You're tired. Go home and rest. We'll let you know if she pulls through."

_**If **__she pulls through. . ._

Collapsing into a nearby chair, Kakashi buried his face in his hands and whispered a silent prayer.

She _**had **_to live.

Kakashi sat in the hospital waiting room, his body hunched forward and his arms resting on his legs.

He glanced up at the clock and saw that it had been 5 hours since Kaede had gone into surgery.

He hadn't left the hospital since she went in, and exhaustion was starting to catch up to him.

He heard footsteps approach and looked up eagerly, hoping to see Tsunade, coming to tell him that Kaede had pulled through, but instead he saw Gai. He was carrying a cup of steaming tea.

Gai seated himself next to Kakashi and handed him the cup.

"This should make you feel better."

"Thank you, Gai."

Silence filled the space for a few moments before Gai spoke again.

"You know, you could go home if you want. I'll stay here until I hear anything new," he offered.

Kakashi looked up at him and shook his head.

"I can't. I . . ."

When he didn't continue, Gai got to his feet, moving to stand before his rival.

"You love her, don't you."

Kakashi looked away.

It was true. He loved her so much it hurt, and yet, something inside of him couldn't admit it. He was terrified that if he admitted his feelings and confessed, she would be taken away from him somehow.

But now that he was on the verge of losing her forever, he regretted not having said anything earlier.

"She loves you too, Kakashi. Of that much I am certain."

Gai smiled and put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"Don't give up on her just yet. She'll pull through, you'll see," he said before turning and walking away. Kakashi watched him leave.

"I hope you're right, Gai," he whispered.

Kakashi became aware of the hurried and anxious footsteps coming from the opposite direction. Looking up, he saw Shizune coming towards him.

Fear tightened its grip on his stomach, and slowly he got to his feet to meet her.

"Kakashi, its Kaede"

His breath caught in his throat. He was almost too afraid to ask.

"What is it?" he asked anxiously.

Shizune took a deep breath.

"It's all over. The surgery was a success.

Kaede is going to be alright!"

A light breeze brushed against my skin. I leaned back in my wheelchair, tilting my head so that I could watch the leaves move.

I never realized how much I appreciated the small things in life until now.

I should have been dead, yet here I sat. A week had passed since my surgery, and though my body still ached, my wounds were healing nicely. Tsunade truly was a gifted medic.

I couldn't stop thinking of Melfice. Tsunade had informed me that he had survived, though his recovery would take a bit longer than mine. At the moment, he was being confined to his hospital room, kept under constant surveillance until he had recovered enough to be interrogated.

I was constantly tormented by thoughts of what they would do to him. Despite everything, he was still my best friend.

I cared about him.

Ever since our battle, I couldn't shake the emptiness inside of me. I'm the one who should be feeling angry, and yet he accused _**me **_of abandoning him.

The fool!

But at the same time, I understood his way of thinking. He had always had a twisted sense of logic. He was confused by his own feelings.

However, _**I**_ did understand. Melfice had never had a family, and I was the closest thing to a sister he would ever have. I had selfishly put my own brothers first, choosing to ignore him and his needs, even though he was standing right next to me.

I had to make it up to him.

"Ah there you are."

I glanced up to see Kakashi approaching. My heart soared at the sight of him. He had changed since my encounter with Melfice. He was the first face I saw when I finally came to after my op, and the moment I opened my eyes, he was confessing his love for me.

He stopped at my side, kneeling down and taking one of my hands in his.

"Have I told you yet how much I love you?"

"Only every day since I woke from surgery."

"How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Everyday a bit better," I replied.  
"That's good. You had me worried."

I smiled, squeezing his hand gently.

"I apologize."

I saw his visible eye narrow slightly as he eyed me up and down.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look a bit pale."

"I'm just a little tired."

"Would you like me to take you to your room?"

I nodded, and he rose to his feet, coming up behind me and turning the wheelchair in the direction of the door. He wheeled me inside, heading straight for my room.

My thoughts went back to Melfice, and how much I wanted to see him.

Maybe. . .

We met Tsunade just outside my room.

"Ah, I was just on my way to see you. How is our patient doing?"

"Better."

"That's good. After another day or so you should be able to go home. I'm sure Kakashi will be glad."

Kakashi laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. I turned my attention back to the Fifth.

"Hokage-sama, I have a request."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I want your permission to visit Melfice."

Kakashi flipped.

"What? Are you insane?"

"I need to see him, Kakashi."

"He tried to kill you!"

Ignoring him, I looked back to Tsunade.

"Please, just let me speak to him," I begged.

The Fifth folded her arms thoughtfully. I could see in her eyes she was doubtful, but I held onto the hope that she would give in. After a moment, she sighed.

"Oh very well, I'll allow it."

"Wonderful! Kakashi, take me to him."

"Now?"

"Yes now!"

"Are you sure?"

My eyes darkened dangerously, and he immediately proceeded to wheel me over to Melfice's room. Tsunade accompanied us and had a word with the ANBU guards.

They opened the door for us, and Kakashi pushed me inside.

When we entered, I saw Melfice lying on his side away from us, his eyes staring off into space.

He didn't turn to look at us.

Kakashi rolled the wheelchair to stand at his bedside and turned to leave.

"I'll wait for you outside. Call if you need me," he said before exiting.

There was silence for a few seconds before I spoke.

"Hello Melfice."

He didn't reply.

"How are you feeling?"

Still no reply.

I sighed and hung my head.

"I'm sorry Melfice. I didn't want this."

"Why are you here?" he asked, keeping his back to me.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," I answered.

"Why?"

"I'm your friend Melfice."

He turned to look at me.

"Then why did you leave me?" His question caught me off guard.

"I . . .I left because I had to. Ryushi is bad news."

He turned away again, going silent once more. I didn't know what to say to him, and I kept my head down.

"You don't understand, Kaede. Ryushi is all I have in this world. You have your brothers, you have this village, you even have someone who loves you. You were never really alone the way I am."

"But Melfice – "

"I thought of you as a sister, but you turned your back on me. If that's what families do to each other, then I want no part of it."

"Melfice, I've always cared for you. You were more of a brother to me than my own brothers were. But Ryushi's craving for power caused us to suffer. Yes, Ryushi raised us, but I don't ever remember making him my master. He has no right to make decisions for me, and yet he put that demon inside of me against my will and caused me to lose my respect for him. I saw him for what he really is, a common murderer who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, including getting rid of us. He never really cared; he just used us because of our abilities."

He shifted slightly. Not enough for me to see him, but enough to let me know he was listening.

"He threatened to kill Kakashi, and I'll never forgive him for that, or for turning you into what you've become."

I slowly made my way to the door. When I opened it, Kakashi was there. He grabbed hold of the wheelchair and took me back to my room. None of us could have known what the young man in the room was thinking, or see the tears that rolled down his face.


	16. 15: Melfice's Revelation

15: Melfice's Revelation

**15: Melfice's Revelation******

"Alright class, unfortunately our time is up for today. Gather up the shuriken and pack them away – _properly_. Ryou, don't think you can slip away this time."

"Hai sensei."

I watched the children going about their task and smiled. Once upon a time I had been in their shoes, but it all seemed so long ago.

Had I really been in Konoha for three years now? Time seemed to just float by without me realizing it. What had started out as a visit to see my brother had turned into a new different lifestyle for me.

In the past two years I had received a job at the Academy, teaching the little ones everything a shinobi should know. Not only that, but I had also become engaged to the love of my life.

Just a pity it never got further than that. Tsunade was working Kakashi like a horse. There were times when days would go by without me seeing him. I knew it was part of his job, but it took its toll.

Every time he went out on another mission, I feared he wouldn't be coming back to me.

He didn't have missions with his team anymore, seeing as only one member was still in the village. Not long after Sasuke left, Jiraiya left with Naruto to do some training with him.

Though he didn't say it, I knew Kakashi missed having them around.

"Kaede-san!"

I turned around to see Iruka hurrying over to me, holding something in his hand.

"Iruka-san, what's wrong?"

"I thought you'd left already."

"My class is done, but I was supervising the clean up."

"Oh well I'm glad I caught you. This just came in for you."

I took the scroll from his hand and broke the seal, unraveling it to see who it was from.

"Oh, it's from Gaara. How unexpected."

"I didn't realize you were familiar with the Kazekage."

I closed the scroll again, tucking it in my bag for later.

"Gaara and I have been friends for a long time. We used to write to each other quite often, but ever since he became the Kage, he's been too busy. That's why this is a rare treat. Anyway, I best be getting home. See you tomorrow Iruka-kun."

"Kaede wait!"

I paused, turning back to him.

"Something wrong?"

"Well it's just. . . .I'm sorry. I thought it might be news on Kakashi."

I shifted my gaze away from his, focusing on the ground instead. Kakashi had been away for a week now. It worried me that there was no news, but then again, no news was good news.

Right?

"Don't worry. Kakashi is an excellent shinobi. He'll be – "

"I know!"

Iruka flinched slightly, but I noticed and immediately felt bad for my sharp retort.

"I'm sorry Iruka. See you."

"Yeah."

I left the training grounds, wrapping my arms around my body, trying to ward off the chill that had settled in my bones.

The mere thought that he might be. . .that he was. . .

I couldn't even think about it without my blood freezing over. Funny how after spending most of my life around death, I became so terrified of it when Kakashi was involved.

Glancing up, I realized where I was. Strange, but every time Kakashi was away for long periods, I wound up here.

Sasuke's old apartment.

I climbed the steps leading up to his door and rummaged around in my bag for the spare key I always carried on me. Once I discovered it, I slipped it into the keyhole and turned.

The door swung inwards, thudding softly when it hit the wall. The place smelled musty. It was cold, dusty, and devoid of any life.

Except for the memories.

He was there, beneath all the dirt and grime. I could smell him, feel his presence in every room. It was only at times like this, when I was feeling lonely or sad, that I would come here, and every time I could feel him.

My brother.

I made my way into his room. Most of his things were still there, except the few things he took with him when he left. I walked over to the windows and threw open both the curtains and the windows, allowing some fresh air into the room.

Once that was done, I moved over to the bed and lay down, spreading my arms out and closing my eyes.

I took deep breaths which helped my thoughts calm down a little.

It calmed me so much that I began to feel myself drifting off.

"Yo!"

I jumped, falling to the ground in my surprise. I looked up to see a figure crouched in the open window.

"Melfice?!"

The young man dropped to the ground and straightened, a smirk firmly in place.

"You came back," I whispered, amazed by his sudden appearance.

He approached, bending over and extending his hand towards me.

"Of course I did."

I grabbed hold of his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet. Once I was up, I flung my arms around his neck.

He chuckled.

"Didn't think you'd be this glad to see me. Perhaps I should show up more often."

When we were still hospitalized, I went to visit him often, just to see him and talk to him. He never said much, but he always listened. After a while, I managed to convince him to take back control of his life. The minute he was able to move again, he went to see Tsunade, telling her everything we knew about Ryushi. He struck a deal with her, saying he would help Konoha capture Ryushi in exchange for his freedom.

Tsunade agreed, and once the old criminal was behind bars, Melfice took off. He told me he would be following in my steps, becoming a wanderer. He even went so far as to ask me to join him, but I declined.

I couldn't leave Kakashi.

And so Melfice had disappeared. I couldn't write since I never knew where he would be next. But he still sent letters every now and then.

Kakashi didn't know about them. I preferred not to talk about Melfice when he was around.

It wasn't because I had feelings for Melfice, it was just that our relationship was unique. We were very close in a way that Kakashi and I were not, but I didn't want that ruining our relationship.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I have news."

"What kind of news?" I asked, curious. He glanced behind him out the window, then back to me.

"It's getting late. Shouldn't you be getting home? Kakashi is bound to be worried. We can talk tomorrow."

"Kakashi isn't here. He's on a mission."

Melfice became thoughtful, pondering over the situation.

"Alright."

He sat down on the ground, crossing his legs. He waited for me to do the same before beginning.

"I came as soon as I heard. Now I don't know how accurate it is, but it could be worth checking into."

I nodded, eager for him to get to the point.

"Anyway, rumors about the Akatsuki have been floating around. Seems like they'll be on the move again soon."

"Are they after Naruto again?"

"Not this time. Seems like they're going after another target, and uh. . . .it's someone you're quite close to."

I gasped, covering my mouth with both my hands.

"No, it can't be – "

"Yes Kaede. They're going after Gaara."

Pale moonlight filtered in through the curtains and fell on the beauty laying beside him. The light accentuated her curves and Kakashi couldn't resist the urge to touch her smooth skin. She shifted slightly, drawing closer to his body and finding a comfortable position before going still again. Her dark hair fell against his chest, moving with each breath he took.

She truly was mesmerizing. He had never met a woman who moved the way she did.

She was quick and sly, light on her feet, like a cat. To the rest of the world, her face was always calm, but her eyes betrayed her feelings, revealing her anger, sadness, or glee.

Her eyes.

They were dark like ebony, and she had the power to make or break any man she pleased with them.

Kakashi had often seen the eyes of several men in the village trailing after her.

But despite all this, she stuck with him. She was always there, whenever he came back from a mission, waiting for him with a smile on her face.

This time, however, had been different.

He had come home after 8 days of being away, but instead of coming back to her smiling face, he found her distant and worried.

When he asked her what was wrong, she replied "nothing" and quickly changed the subject.

Even now, as they lay together in each other's arms, he could feel the invisible wall between them.

There was something she wasn't telling him.

He didn't like what it could be.

"I just don't know, Melfice."

"If we wait too long it might be too late. I have no reason to help the boy, but you know I'll go with you if you decide to go."

"I can't just up and go. Perhaps I should tell Kakashi. . ."

Melfice sat back, a scowl forming on his face. I looked at him briefly before focusing my attention on the piece of paper that lay before us. His strategy was for us to go to the Wind country as soon as possible and try and intercept the Akatsuki. Melfice was confidant there would only be two members going after Gaara and that we could beat them.

I argued that they were smarter than that and wouldn't dare try attacking one of the Kages with only two people, but Melfice countered that they were an arrogant bunch of jerks who, despite it not being apparent, were always two steps ahead.

I hadn't told Kakashi of Melfice's reappearance, nor did I tell him about his suspicion that the Akatsuki were after Gaara.

Melfice was quick to remind me of all the training we'd gone through specifically for this, and that this was our battle.

I had to agree with him somewhat, though I hated keeping Kakashi in the dark.

Only now the decision lay with me. Would I leave with Melfice for the Wind Country, or would I inform the Fifth and wait for her to make a decision, which might possibly prove to be too late if Melfice was right.

Time was running out.

"Alright, I'll go, but at least give me a chance to explain to Kakashi."

"And then what? How do you think he'll react? He'll probably flip and then we'd be delayed even more."

"He's getting suspicious, Melfice. He might get the wrong idea."

"So what? I never like the guy anyway."

"What is your problem with him?"

Melfice folded his hands behind his head and lay back down on Sasuke's bed. I had allowed him to stay here, and the two of us had been meeting in secret every day since his arrival two days ago.

"I just don't think you click well enough. He won't ever get you the way I do."

"He understands better than you think, and what exactly is it you're implying?"

He sat up again, looking me directly in my eyes.

"You know what I want. I want us to be together again, like always. An inseparable, undefeatable team. Just think of all the things we could do! Doesn't that excite you?"

"Melfice, I – "

He interrupted me, grabbing hold of both my hands.

"I love you, Uchiha Kaede. I always have."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. His confession took me completely by surprise.

"Melfice," I whispered. He brought his hands up to rest on my cheeks and slowly brought his face closer to mine.

Melfice suddenly released me, and I turned my head to the doorway.

Kakashi stood with his hand resting on the doorframe, staring at the two of us seated on the bed. I could see the pain and confusion reflected in his eye, and immediately felt my heart sink in despair.

"Kakashi."

I reached out with my hand to stop him, but he was gone before I could even speak his name.

Melfice was silent, staring blankly at the now empty doorway.

I fought against the tears that threatened to spill down my cheeks and jumped to my feet.

"I'm going after him."

"Kaede I – "

"Don't, Melfice. Just. . ."

But I didn't complete my sentence. I turned away and hurried out, drawing on Hannya's power as I ran.

I had to find him!

I picked up on his presence and realized where he was going.

The memorial stone.

Hurrying after him, I made it there in time to see him stop before the stone. He reached out with both hands and placed them against the stone, hanging his head forward.

How could I have done this to him? The look of pain in his eyes would forever haunt me.

I walked up behind him and stopped a short distance away.

"Kakashi, let me explain."

"Leave me alone."

"But – "

"Just stop with the excuses. Leave me."

I stepped closer, placing my hands on his shoulders.

"Please Kakashi, I lo – "

But before I could complete my sentence, he jerked away from me.

"I don't want to see you again."

I stared at him in disbelief. Never had I heard him sound like this. His words were totally out of character. Had I been thinking clearly, I might have understood that he was bleeding inside, but my mind was swimming with different thoughts and feelings, all of them colliding with each other and making my head spin.

I backed away from him, keeping my eyes locked on his hunched form. When I was far enough away, I turned and ran.

I could feel my heart shattering in my chest as bitter tears rolled down my cheeks.

_My love, what have I done?_

_A/N: Reviews will be much appreciated. I'd like to hear what you guys think, otherwise I start to doubt whether or not I should actually continue. So if you have a moment to leave a comment, I would greatly appreciate it._


	17. 16: Encounter with the Akatsuki

16: Encounter with the Akatsuki

**16: Encounter with the Akatsuki******

"Kaede, are you alright?"

I quickly brushed away the tears from my eyes and continued packing.

"I'm going to the Wind Country – alone."

"What? No way."

"Don't argue with me, Melfice. Gaara is _**my **_friend. I want you to stay here and wait until I send word. For all we know, this could be a hoax."

"I don't know. I don't like it."

"I can handle it, ok. If there's any trouble, Gaara and I will fight. Together we should be able to beat them."

"That may be true, but – "

"Don't make this any harder, please. I need to do this alone for now."

I got to my feet, slinging my backpack over my shoulder, and faced Melfice. His eyes were full of concern. He raised his hand to touch my face, but I turned away.

"Don't."

"I'm sorry I caused so much trouble, Kaede."

"I know you are."

I brushed past him without another word and hurried out the door.

"Wait for me Gaara. I'm coming."

Melfice wandered through the streets aimlessly. He thought about going after Kaede, but after all he'd done to upset her, he didn't dare disobey.

He hadn't meant to ruin her happiness, but he couldn't deny his feelings for her. Kaede had always had his back, even when he didn't return the favor.

Back then he had been a selfish, arrogant brat who didn't realize how much she meant to him.

Only after she ran away did he notice how much he relied on her always being there. He had taken her for granted.

He should have gone after her the moment he realized she was gone. Perhaps then she might have felt differently about him.

But the truth of the matter was she was in love with Hatake Kakashi, and if he was the one who made her happy, who was he to interfere?

He sighed.

Once again he had managed to ruin things for her.

He didn't know what Kakashi had said to her when she went after him, but he did know that it hadn't been nice. He had never seen her shed such sorrowful tears before.

Melfice paused in the street and glanced around. He spotted a nearby pub and decided some sake might be good for him.

He slipped inside and searched for an open table. Instead, he saw something pitiful.

Hatake Kakashi sat at one of the tables, a bowl of untouched sake standing before him. The Copy Ninja sat with his body hunched forward, staring blankly at the drink.

Melfice sighed and shook his head before moving over and sitting down across from him.

Kakashi glanced up and glared at Melfice.

"What do you want?"

"I'm just here for a drink. The question is, what are _**you **_doing here? Shouldn't you be out looking for Kaede?"

Kakashi turned his gaze away uncertainly. Melfice leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.

"Look, I don't like you, but you really are a baka if you doubt, even for a second, her love for you."

Kakashi remained mute, and Melfice decided to press on.

"I know her well, I slept close to her for years, and do you know whose name she'd whisper in her sleep?"

Kakashi looked up, curiosity evident in his eyes.

"That's right, _**yours**_. After our battle, do you know what she always said to me? _**I'll never forgive Ryushi for threatening to kill Kakashi.**_ And when I tried to persuade her to go to the Wind Country, the first thing she asked was, _**What about Kakashi?**_"

The Jounin was still silent, but Melfice could tell by the look in his visible eye that he was realizing his mistake. This silver-haired man jumped to his feet, slamming his hands on the table.

"I must find her. Where is she?"

"I'm afraid you're a bit too late. She's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?"

"She went to the Hidden Sand Village alone."

"Why did she go there?"

"So she really didn't tell you? You'd better sit down and order up some more sake. It's going to be a long story."

The three day journey to the Hidden Sand passed by quickly, despite the heavy weight of my heart.

When I was stopped by the guards at the gate, I quickly showed them the letter with the Kazekage's official seal and they allowed me to rush through.

I didn't stop until I stood in front of his office door. I knocked, and without waiting for an answer, I burst in.

Gaara was sitting behind his desk, staring out the window. When he saw me enter, he rose to his feet.

"Kaede-san? What are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you, Gaara."

"Warn me? Of what?"

I sat down across from him and quickly began telling my story. He listened intently, and by the time I finished, he was sitting with his hand positioned thoughtfully under his chin.

"Yes, we've been hearing reports of the Akatsuki. Jiraiya-sama from Konoha has been sending out reports to all the Kages, informing them to be on the lookout for them."

"Please Gaara, you must be careful. These men are dangerous."

"If that is true then why are you here?"

I rose to my feet.

"Baka. I'm here to help you of course. What are friends for?"

The redhead opened his mouth to speak, but didn't manage to get any words out.

I had sensed it too.

"Gaara, you feel that right?"

"Do you think it's them?"

"Who else could it be?"

Gaara rose from his seat and swiftly removed the white and blue overcoat that set him apart as the Kazekage. He grabbed his gourd of sand from the corner and strapped it to his back.

By this time, I had already tapped into Hannya's abilities.

"Ready?" I asked.

He nodded and together we ran up to the roof.

Gaara spotted it first. A large, strange white bird was circling over the village.

"There aren't any birds like that out here in the desert."

"I don't recognize it either. What do you think it could be?"

"Probably the enemy."

I peered carefully at the bird and spotted a tiny black figure riding on its back.

_Only one?_

Then I remembered what Melfice had said. They usually hunted in teams of two. So if one of them was up there, where was the other?

"Gaara, do you think you'll be able to handle this one for a little while?"

"I should. Why?"

"I'm going to look around for any more enemies."

I took off running, jumping nimbly from roof to roof while all the while trying to pick up on any foreign scent.

It was odd. Gaara had positioned guards at the entrance. The enemy shouldn't have been able to slip in this quietly.

I picked up on the smell of blood, but it was unusually strong.

Pressing onwards, I reached the gates and stopped.

The bodies of the guards lay strewn across the path. How had they managed to kill all of them without alerting the rest? Could it be that Melfice had been wrong and that there were in fact more that two enemies?

I dropped into a defensive crouch and allowed my eyes to scan the area around me.

Nothing, but I did smell something curious. It didn't smell human, but I could smell a mixture of blood and what seemed to be a strong plant or herb smell.

Cautiously, I followed the smell to its source. I was surprised to see a large, bulky figure seated at the front of the gates.

What it was, I had no idea, but it was wearing the infamous black overcoat with the red clouds.

Could it be the other Akatsuki member? Why did he give off such a weird vibe?

"How long do you plan on watching me from the shadows?"

I was startled by his voice. How could he know I was there? I was so careful in masking my presence.

"Come on out and face me like a man."

I swallowed against the sudden dryness in my throat and stepped out into the pale moonlight.

"Oh? I see it's a girl. Did you come out here to try and play hero? Perhaps you should leave that job to the men."

"So it seems my info was right. There are only two of you."

"I see. So you know a bit about our group."

I felt my confidence returning. He hid it well, but I could tell it troubled him that I knew about the Akatsuki.

Slowly I began to circle around him, keeping my eyes open for any movement.

"I do, and I also know I can stop you."

The man chuckled, but made no move.

"Is that so? I like your attitude. You remind me of someone I know. You could have done well as one of us. Too bad I have to kill you."

I released Hannya from my soul, and felt her power flow through me.

"Very well, let's go."

As I said the words I sensed the strike coming from the darkness, and dodged to the left, lightning fast. The strike missed my side, and I saw that it was a metal appendage of some sort, with segments that gleamed in the half light.

My moment of inattention cost me; the _thing _swiveled in mid air and struck me in the side, hard. I gasped and rolled away as fast as _hannya _allowed me to, but I could feel her anger and hatred.

The person in the shadows had however revealed itself to me and I flung 5 shuriken at it in the blink of an eye. I heard them strike and a grunt of pain or surprise.

Then I unleashed the power of the _subata, _fire granted to me through Hannya, a projected hundreds of flaming darts in a wide half circle towards the now fast moving person, or _thing, _in the shadows. Again I saw some of my darts strike home, leaving the scent of scorched cotton and, and was that heated _metal?_

Again my surprise cost me and I felt a stinging pain in my shoulder. I cried out and clapped my hand to my wound, feeling the blood pump through my fingers.

A chilling laugh came from the figure in front of me.

"Well done, young lady. You have avoided two strikes that a lesser person would have been killed by. I wonder how you did that?"

I shuddered and moved into a defensive crouch, answering, "What difference does it make? You will not get an answer out of me."

Again he laughed, saying, "Oh but you are wrong young Uchiha. I can get an answer from you, and the difference it makes is the difference between life and death, _for you!_"

I cringed inside when I heard that, and started summoning all Hannya's power, to form a final deadly strike. But I could not focus my mind; memories of the past flashed hauntingly before my eyes. How did he know I was an Uchiha?

"Because I see the resemblance between you and your brother," came the answer.

Was he reading my thoughts? Again the low, chilling chuckle.

"No young Uchiha, the poison I injected into your shoulder is confusing your mind, making you say things you would normally keep hidden. It is also paralyzing your body."

He was right, but did he know about Hannya?

I felt her gather her remaining strength and launch _kasai subata _at him just as he leaned over me. I saw the surprise in his eyes and the wrath and pain of a being who does not like being thwarted or hurt. He avoided most of the blow but enough hit him in the side to cause him to curse loudly and stagger to the side. Before I could stand and make my escape he smashed the metal side of his _tail? _into my unprotected head.

Blackness swiftly covered my mind; the last thing I remember hearing was, "How did she survive so long?"

"It should be impossible for anyone but a demon to resist"


	18. 17: Brother Dearest

17: Brother Dearest

**17: Brother Dearest******

I was floating in a sea of never ending black, drifting along invisible currents. My body felt strangely light.

Was I dead?

"Kaede."

The voice that spoke my name was soft and feminine, and it seemed to be coming from every direction.

I couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"Don't be afraid. You are not dead."

"Who are you?" I asked. My own voice sounded strange, and I brought my hands up to my throat.

"You know me well, Kaede. I am always with you."

Something inside of me recognized the voice, but at the same time it seemed so strange.

"I live inside of you."

Everything snapped into place.

"Hannya?"

"At last you recognize me."

"Why are you speaking to me now?"

"I have been speaking to you ever since we were connected, but you refused to acknowledge my presence and therefore you never heard me."

"I didn't want you inside of me."

"Nor did I want to be inside of you. I never believed you were worthy of my power, but I realized I would die when you did, and so I allowed you to use my strength."

I felt my anger rise. How dare this creature speak to me that way?

"If you want to get out so bad, why don't you just break free? It's not like I want you around."

"Believe me, if I can break free of the seals that lock me away, I will. Or at least, I would. The truth is, Kaede, I have watched you grow over the years. I see who you are on the inside, and I have come to admire your courage and the love you harbor for your friends and family. You never intended to use your strength for your own selfish intentions, but instead you chose to work hard to protect your loved ones. Such ideals are not often seen, this I know. That's why I am talking to you now. I sense you are in great danger, and unless we trust each other enough to work together, neither one of us will make it out alive."

I listened carefully to her words, surprised by what I was hearing. Trusting my demon? Working together? Were such things possible?

"Our time is running out. Already your body starts to awaken. The decision lies with you. Remember, whatever happens, do not let them find out you are a Jinchuuriki, or they will do the same to you."

"I don't understand. What do you mean "do the same"?"

But I heard no reply. I felt my body suddenly become heavy again, and stabs of pain raced across my nerves, causing me to flinch. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to clear away the fuzziness.

When I was finally able to see clearly, I noticed I was lying on the ground in what seemed to be a cave. Slowly I pushed myself up into a sitting position and looked around.

What I saw made my very soul tremble.

A huge statue dominated one side of the cave. There were several eyes on the head, and from the mouth came a blue stream of what looked like chakra.

And there, suspended in the stream, was Gaara.

My eyes widened.

I had heard of the technique before, but had never dreamed I would witness it with my own two eyes. Everyone knew that you couldn't separate a bijuu from its host without the host dying.

But they didn't care that they were killing Gaara.

The members of the Akatsuki stood on the statue's fingers, all of them concentrating their chakra into the technique.

"Stop!! You're going to kill him!"

Their eyes opened, and from my position on the ground, I could clearly see the red Sharingan eyes that belonged to my elder brother.

I focused solely on him.

"Sasori, see to her," one of them ordered.

I knew I had to move, but my body was still sluggish and I stumbled over my own feet trying to get away.

Several ropes wrapped around my body, preventing me from doing anything. My eyes found Itachi's again.

"Itachi please! You can't kill him! Please stop!"

But my begging was in vain. Itachi merely stared at me blankly, as though he hadn't heard.

I turned my attention back to Gaara. His demon was being sucked right out of him bit by bit.

At this rate, I was going to lose him.

I needed to do something, but did I dare risk using Hannya's powers? I understood now what she had meant when she said they would do the same to me. If they ever found out, I was a dead woman.

But at least I'd know I'd tried.

I reached down inside of me, but was surprised when nothing happened. I felt sick to my stomach, and my vision blurred around the edges. I swayed slightly from side to side.

What was happening to me? Could it be a Genjutsu? Or maybe. . .

My eyes shot up to Itachi's.

_Please no, not that._

It was just as I feared. I saw his eyes change and collapsed into a world of his creation. He showed me many things.

I saw my family die again, I saw Sasuke die, and I saw Gaara die.

Though I knew it was all an illusion, everything felt so real. I could do nothing but stand and watch as one by one the people I loved were slaughtered before my very eyes. Their blood splashed onto my face and hands, staining my skin red.

My breaths came in short, quick bursts, building up until I couldn't take it anymore and I collapsed, once again slipping out of consciousness into that familiar sea of black. . .

The cell was damp, cold, and above all, dark.

I sat against the wall, resting my head against the cool cement.

Why hadn't they killed me on the spot?

It would have been better that way. Of all the people to be captured by, why did it have to be _**them**_?

I shifted my position a little, but my muscles refused to respond as they should and I found myself slumping sideways to the ground.

I let myself fall, not caring anymore.

I had no strength left. My arms and legs were bound together so tightly that my bonds cut into my flesh each time I tried to move. There was no way I could escape.

The darkness was calling me.

I longed to give in to its call, to give up and drift away in a sea of never ending black. I didn't want to face him like this, not when I was so weak.

I had fought too hard to become stronger.

My eyes involuntarily closed and I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper into oblivion.

Finally, the peace I so desperately sought was within my grasp.

I was vaguely aware of the sound of approaching footsteps. The sound cracked through my conscience and echoed in my head. It was a signal that the time had come.

My moment of death was here.

The wooden door opened and swung inward, revealing a tall, dark silhouette that loomed over me. I allowed my eyes to flutter closed again, not caring what happened now. The figure remained rooted to the spot for the longest time until I began suspecting I had been dreaming.

But then he moved and I realized my dream was a reality. I sensed rather than saw him approach and crouch down next to my bruised and battered form.

"Was it necessary to go so far?"

His voice was smooth and calm, giving away nothing of what he felt, if he even felt at all.

"We couldn't risk her escaping until we had interrogated her. She put up quite a fight you know." Another voice answered, but this voice was nothing like the first. This voice was cruel and harsh sounding, and the sound of it made me shiver slightly.

"She is weak. It shouldn't have taken this much to subdue her. See to it that she is given some nourishment, otherwise we might not get what we want out of her."

"Wouldn't you rather see to her, _Itachi-__**san**_?"

I opened my eyes just enough so I could peer up at him through my lashes. He was staring down at me, his ruby red eyes baring nothing of his soul. The mere sight of them caused a wave of fear to spread over my body. I felt a scream trying to push its way up my throat, but I pressed my lips firmly together to stop myself.

I couldn't show anymore weakness in front of him.

"Don't be foolish, Kisame. I have more important things to do than take care of this pathetic wretch."

Not once did the pitch of his voice change. It always remained the same, level tone. It would have been better if I could hear what he was feeling, but this was Itachi we were talking about; the _**genius **_Uchiha.

I saw a flash of black and watched as Itachi and Kisame marched out of the cell, their black and red coats flapping behind them, showing off their Akatsuki colors.

As I listened to their retreating steps, I couldn't help feeling that there was yet more pain to come.

And if they were here, it meant the ritual was complete.

Gaara was. . .was. . .

I shook myself. I couldn't think about that. I needed to think about how I was supposed to get out of here. They were planning on moving me soon. Where to, I had no idea.

Heck I didn't even know where I was now.

Hannya was no use to me while my body was in this state. I didn't even have enough strength to focus on her powers. I was in a real bind.

My only hope lay in Itachi.

My dear brother.

Kakashi stood staring at what remained of the cave. The battle with Sasori had completely destroyed it. Though he wanted desperately to find Kaede, he hoped she hadn't still been inside when they fought.

Melfice came to stand beside him.

"Well, she _**was **_here, but they must have moved her."

"Can't you find her?"

"I should be able to, but for some reason it's difficult to pick up on her presence."

"What does that mean, Melfice?"

"It means one of two things: either she's too far away, or she's not in the best physical condition."

"They couldn't have gotten that far."

Melfice nodded.

"So that means she's hurt."

Kakashi balled his hands into fists, but said nothing. Melfice glanced back at the others. Naruto, Sakura, the members of Team Gai, and an old lady from the Sand Village were waiting with Gaara's body. They had been too late to save the boy, and if they didn't do something soon, they might be too late to save Kaede.

Melfice understood what would happen if they found out she was a Jinchuuriki. Their time was slowly running out.

Melfice moved closer to Kakashi, standing with his back to the others so they wouldn't hear.

"Listen Kakashi, I'm going after her right now. We can't afford to waste time. She could end up like Gaara if we don't find her. I could use your help."

Kakashi turned to Melfice and managed a small smile.

"I was just thinking the same thing. Let's go!"


	19. 18: A Teacher's Revenge

18: A Teacher's Revenge

**18: A Teacher's Revenge******

The hot afternoon sun baked down upon the three travelers.

Uchiha Itachi walked in front, followed by Kisame who was holding onto the rope that bound his sister's wrists together.

Even without glancing back, he could tell she was having a hard time. Her breathing was ragged, and he could hear her dragging her feet. But she didn't say a word.

"Oi, get a move on," Kisame snapped, yanking on the rope. Itachi watched as she stumbled forward and saw her wrists begin to bleed.

"Kisame, calm yourself. We will stop for a few minutes. See if you can find some more water."

"Hai hai."

His partner brushed past him, handing him the rope before disappearing into the surrounding trees. Kaede slumped to the ground the moment he was gone, hanging her head so that her dark hair shielded her eyes.

She had grown up to look just like their mother.

He didn't like it.

He sat down across from her and folded his arms, keeping a tight grip on the rope. From what he had heard, he had no doubt she would have been able to escape had she been at full strength, which is why they kept her this way.

They had given her a little water, but that was it. No food, no medical treatment, nothing.

Even he had to admit it was a bit harsh, especially after the beating she got in the cave.

He wondered what she was thinking. She had always been a strange girl. He never could figure out why she adored him so much.

He had always kept her at arms length, never saying much, never giving her reason to like him, and yet she was always there.

She followed him to his training area just so she could watch him, she sat on the front porch every day just so she could be the first one to greet him, she even walked with him to the edge of the Uchiha compound in the mornings.

He remembered one time, just after his promotion to Chuuin, when he had been away from home on a mission. He had been gone for at least a week, but when he came back late at night, weary from the journey, he was surprised to discover Kaede fast asleep in his bed.

She lay on the same spot he usually slept, her face buried into the pillow.

He had stood over her, watching her sleep. He never knew why, but something inside of him just wanted to be close to her.

So instead of waking her, he merely slid into bed next to her.

It was the first and last time he ever felt that desire.

He watched her again. Did she really think she was strong enough?

His little sister was a fool if she thought she could stand up to him.

"My foolish little sister, did you really believe you were strong enough to face me?"

She slowly raised her head to look at him. She didn't seem angry or afraid.

"You are the fool, Itachi. You never got it, did you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You never understood why I wanted to be with you all the time. You saw me as just another person wanting to be like you, but I never cared how strong you were. I wasn't looking for a genius or a prodigy; I was looking for a brother."

"Family is nothing. The only thing we have in common is our blood."

"No Itachi. You are__my brother. I loved you then and I love you now, no matter what. You once told me that until I understood what it meant to be a superior shinobi, I would never achieve the power I so desired. I didn't desire power, Nii-san. I desired a family, and the only reason I became stronger is so that I could protect you and Sasuke from yourselves."

Itachi tried to hide his surprise from her. How could she say she loved him after all that he'd done? She had to be lying.

And yet, gazing into her soft, opaque eyes, he saw no hint of deceit.

The realization made him tremble.

"Oi, Itachi-san!"

"What is it, Kisame?"

"Zetsu just contacted me. He told me something very interesting."

"What did he say?"

"We need to meet up with them as quickly as possible. Apparently, this girl is one of them."

Itachi shifted his gaze to his sister. She was staring at the ground, saying nothing to deny it.

"You mean – "

"Ah. She's a Jinchuuriki."

Ryushi Akera rubbed his wrists, glad to finally be free of the prison chains. Breaking out of jail hadn't been an easy task, but he wasn't classified as an S-class criminal for nothing.

Ever since then, things had been falling into place quite easily. It hadn't taken him as long as expected to track down the Akatsuki.

Not that he was complaining.

"Tell me again, Akera-san. I want to be sure my ears are not deceiving me."

"Gladly, Pein-sama."

And so Ryushi began again, telling the leader of the Akatsuki everything he knew about the lesser demons. He enjoyed seeing the other man's devious smile as the realization came to him.

If the members of the Akatsuki had control of these lesser demons, they would truly be unstoppable.

"If this is all true, why are you telling us?"

"Because I want revenge! My students betrayed me, throwing me into prison despite everything I'd done for them."

"And you turned them into Jinchuuriki?"

"Hai."

"And you're sure she is one of them?"

"Of course. Uchiha Kaede is definitely a Jinchuuriki."

"That would explain how she was able to fight so evenly against Sasori. Tell me Akera-san, are you able to reseal a demon once it has been extracted?"

"I am."

"I hope you are aware that the girl will die when we extract her demon."

Ryushi smiled his infamous smile and gazed directly into Pein's eyes.

"That is the whole point."

A test.

That's what this was. It had to be a test. They wanted to see if he could do it, if he could stand back and allow his sister to be killed.

Could he? He had killed nearly his entire clan, including his parents. But she was different. She wasn't like them.

She was. . .

"Itachi-san, we should get going."

Itachi opened his eyes and found himself staring at her again. She must have known all along something like this would happen. She had known she would die.

Why then did she insist on involving herself with them?

"Itachi-san, are you going to disobey?"

"No. . ."

He started walking again, taking the lead. He couldn't show signs of hesitation. It didn't matter that she was his sister.

It didn't matter that she. . .

_**I loved you then and I love you now, no matter what. . .**_

_**. . .I became stronger to protect you and Sasuke from yourselves.**_

_**I'm sorry Nii-san. I wanted to watch you train. . .**_

_**Nii-san, won't you train me a little? Please!**_

_**. . .you're the best shinobi in the whole village!**_

_**Welcome home, Nii-san. . .**_

_**I'll make you proud of me!**_

_**You are my brother. . . **_

_**. . .protect you. . . **_

_**. . . love you. . .no matter what. . .**_

He froze in his tracks, holding his head in his hands.

Why?!

Why wouldn't the voices stop?!

"Is everything alright?"

Itachi glanced back, intending to look at his partner, but instead his eyes fell on Kaede. She was watching him, a knowing look in her eyes.

That sudden desire to be close to her washed over him again. He was so sure he could find comfort in her embrace; so sure her tears would wash away the blood on his hands.

All those years of trying to find something to keep him grounded and sane, and she was right next to him all along.

"I. . ."

He wanted to tell her to run. He wanted to tell Kisame and the rest of the Akatsuki just where they could stick their silly "tests" and orders, but he also knew he was balancing on a knife's edge.

One wrong move, and he and Kaede could both die.

His train of thought was broken when he picked up on something.

"We're being followed."

"What?" Kisame paused a moment, his eyes closed.

"Damn, they're coming in fast. Do we make a run for it?"

"They'd just follow. No, we'll face them."

Itachi glanced sideways at Kaede and saw her head was turned in the direction of the incoming pursuers. He noticed her clenching her fists nervously.

Moments later, two figures appeared in the clearing.

Itachi recognized one as Hatake Kakashi, but the other man he'd never seen before. He wore no hitai-ate either.

Kaede was the first to break the silence.

"What are you doing?! Get out of here!"

"We're not leaving without you, Kaede."

Kaede dropped to her knees, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Please, I don't want you to get hurt."

Kakashi took a step forward.

"I can't go home without you. My place is at your side."

Itachi watched the exchange. Kakashi and Kaede were. . .in love?

"We have business with this girl," Kisame said, drawing his sword.

"Sorry pal, but she's coming with us," the other man said, pulling out a kunai. Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate, revealing his Sharingan.

It seems they weren't going to leave without a fight.

"If it's another fight you want, Kakashi, it's another fight you'll get."


	20. 19: The Final Battle

19: The Final Battle

**19: The Final Battle******

_I lay face down on my bed, tears rolling down my cheeks. My body trembled and shook, and I pressed my face deeper into the soft pillow to muffle the noise. _

_I didn't want anyone to hear me cry. They all thought I was happy. How did I explain my sadness to them?_

_I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to ease my sorrow. I was 8 years old already. Tears were for little children, not big girls._

_But it still hurt. It had been nearly three weeks since I entered the Academy, and still the other children chose to ignore me. No one spoke to me during breaks, no one teamed up with me during class assignments, and no one offered to walk home with me._

_They didn't care about me. Everyone only cared about Itachi._

_Not that I blamed him. He couldn't help being the best at everything._

"_What is the problem?"_

_Startled, I sat upright and turned my head to the doorway. _

_Itachi stood with his hand on the door, staring at me._

"_It's nothing."_

"_Well this nothing is making a lot of noise. You'll wake the whole household at this rate."_

"_I'm sorry Nii-san. I'll try to go to sleep," I said, wiping the moisture from my eyes. Itachi sighed and held out his hand._

"_Come with me."_

_I readily obeyed, sliding out of bed and hurrying over to him. I took his hand and allowed him to lead me through the house. _

_He took me outside and helped me climb onto the roof. _

_I knew this was one of his favorite spots, but I had never tried to come here myself. He never liked it when people interfered with his business._

_Once we were seated side by side, he looked up at the moon._

"_Tell me the reason behind your sadness."_

"_I'm just sad because everyone at the Academy ignores me."_

"_The teachers?"_

"_No the other children."_

"_Why do you let that bother you? You don't need them."_

"_I don't like being alone all the time. Here at home I have you and Sasuke and everyone else, but when I'm there, it's like I don't exist."_

"_The path of a shinobi isn't easy. You have to be willing to make sacrifices, otherwise you will never be strong."_

"_It's easy for you, Nii-san. Everyone wants to be around you."_

"_Those people are only interested in what I can do. It's no better than your situation."_

_We both fell silent, looking up at the night sky. I happened to see a shooting star streak across the dark sky, and quickly shut my eyes to make a wish. When I opened them again, I turned to Itachi._

_  
"Did you make a wish, Nii-san?"_

"_A star cannot grant wishes."_

_I ignored his lack of imagination and smiled._

"_I wished that you would be my brother forever."_

"_Baka. Of course I'll always be your brother."_

_My grin widened._

"_Then my wish came true."_

_Itachi turned to look at me, a frown creasing his forehead. He had always been a serious boy, but every now and then when I did something silly or childish, I could see a hint of laughter in his eyes. It was because of that look that I never gave up on him._

_I shifted closer until I was sitting between his legs._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_It's cold," I answered, snuggling up to his warm body and resting my head against his shoulder. He didn't move to accommodate me, but neither did he push me away._

_  
And so I stayed there, until I fell asleep._

I sat with my body hunched forward, staring at my hands pressed to the ground.

Tears dripped from my eyes onto the hard, dry dirt, leaving behind dark spots.

The sounds of battle rang in my ears, but I couldn't bring myself to look up. How could I watch the people I loved fighting each other?

This was all my fault.

What was I supposed to do?

How was I supposed to stop this?

I was weary inside. I didn't want to do this anymore. I wanted to close my eyes and never wake up again.

What was left for me? Something always happened to the people I loved. It was as if they were jinxed the moment they became acquainted with me.

No more. It had to end.

I pushed myself to my feet, wobbling a little, but managing to stay upright. My eyes swept across the battle taking place.

Melfice was battling Kisame, and he seemed to have the upper hand. Itachi and Kakashi were battling it out, but they were so evenly matched, it was difficult to see who would be the victor.

So far no one had been hurt too badly, but right before my eyes, the battle was quickly escalating.

Almost in slow motion, I saw Kakashi perform the jutsu for his _Chidori_ attack. At the same time, Itachi performed the jutsu for _Amaterasu_.

This would not end well.

I didn't have a choice.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment as I concentrated.

"_Hannya, can you hear me?"_

"_**I can."**_

"_I'm afraid it's come to this. Will you help me?"_

"_**You realize I cannot give you much of my power. Your physical body is too weak to handle the full effect of my strength."**_

"_It's alright. I just need enough to move quickly. Can you do that?"_

"_**You're sure about this? You will die."**_

"_I know. There just isn't another way."_

"_**Very well. I'll lend you my strength one last time."**_

"_Thank you."_

I opened my eyes, feeling my strength returning.

Without hesitation, I ran straight into the battle.

Kakashi felt his chakra gathering in the palm of his hand. His insides trembled as he watched Itachi perform a fire jutsu.

This was it.

Either one of them could die.

Or even both.

But if it meant Kaede could go free, then he'd gladly do it.

Itachi moved, and Kakashi did the same, rushing at him. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, spurring him on. He raised his arm, ready to cut through the notorious Uchiha prodigy.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move. It was nothing but a flicker of a dark shape, but he couldn't help wondering what it had been.

His answer came seconds later. Instead of his Chidori piercing Itachi's flesh, his attack collided with a dark form.

What happened next was completely unexpected. There was a bright flash of light, one that forced him to shut his eyes for a moment.

A loud, piercing cry rang out, but it didn't sound human. Kakashi had no idea as to what it could be.

His body was suddenly thrown backwards as some kind of force exploded outward. He slammed into a nearby tree before sliding to the ground.

The area became silent as the grave. Rubbing his aching head, Kakashi slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. He looked to his right and saw Melfice nearby, rising unsteadily to his feet. On the opposite side of the clearing, Itachi was standing with his hand resting against a tree to steady himself. His partner, Kisame, was lying unconscious at his side.

Kakashi shifted his gaze to the center of the clearing, where the strange explosion had taken place. When his eyes landed on the figure on the ground, he felt his heart stop.

_No!_

Without checking to see if he had any injuries, Kakashi pushed himself up and rushed to her side.

Kaede lay on her back, her arms and legs splayed out to the side. Kakashi knelt next to her and pressed his ear to her chest.

Nothing.

"No, no, no, no, NO! Kaede, can you hear me?"

He shook her shoulders slightly, but there was no reaction. Melfice came nearer, his face pale and his eyes wide. He knelt down and with trembling fingers and stroked the side of her face.

"She's dead. I don't understand. What happened?"

"I have no idea."

"She intercepted the battle," Itachi answered, moving closer. Kakashi pulled her body into his arms, shielding her.

"What are you talking about? If she had intercepted the battle, she'd have been injured by the attacks. There'd be nothing left of her, but there isn't a scratch on her," Melfice argued heatedly. Kakashi could see by the angry look in his eyes that he blamed Itachi for this.

Itachi closed his eyes wearily. He suddenly looked extremely tired.

"I don't completely understand it myself, but I saw her just before our attacks hit."

"Why would she. . . "

_**I will protect my family and friends, Kakashi. . .**_

So that was it. To protect them, she had sacrificed herself.

Kakashi shook his head firmly. They were supposed to protect her, not the other way around.

He felt empty inside, like a part of him had died.

He _**couldn't**_ lose her now, not after everything they'd gone through together. He still had to apologize to her for overreacting! He still had to marry her!

Damn it all!

"Get up. Take her body and go, quickly."

Kakashi was surprised by Itachi's command. Since when did he care?

"What?"

"There isn't time for questions. Just go."

He eyed the elder Uchiha carefully. Was this some kind of trap? No, it couldn't be. He was giving them a chance to escape. He was going to make it look like he and Kisame had lost the battle.

"Alright."

Kakashi got to his feet, still holding her body in his arms. Now wasn't the time to mourn. He had to get her away.

"Melfice, let's go."

Hannya knew she would die.

She had been waiting for this day ever since she was captured and sealed inside the girl's body.

Back then she had resented the Uchiha girl, not wanting to be imprisoned. And she had sensed the girl fighting against it.

Neither one of them had wanted this.

But despite what they wanted, it was done, and they were stuck with each other.

They had come through so much. She had watched Kaede grow, not only physically, but emotionally too. She'd watched her become friends with Gaara, she'd watched her fall in love, she'd watched her take responsibility for her actions and try to save Melfice.

She truly was an amazing girl.

A girl with so much more to live for. A girl who didn't deserve to die just yet.

That was why Hannya had taken the full force of the attack, instead of Kaede, thus saving the girl's life.

The demon could feel her strength quickly leaving her. She didn't have much time left.

_Kaede, if you can hear me, listen carefully. Our time together is up. You are not going to die, but I am. As a parting gift, I will show you how to remove a demon from its host without either of them dying. Use this knowledge wisely. _

_Never think you have nothing to live for. There are many people who love you, and it is for them that you must continue to push forward. Become the woman you were destined to be._

_Farewell, Uchiha Kaede. It was an honor to know you. . . _

". . .heart rate picking up. . ."

". . .knew she wasn't gone!. . ."

". . .Kakashi! Come quick! Kaede. . ."

I didn't understand why, but for some reason I felt as though I had woken from a strange dream. My mind was still fuzzy, and nothing made sense.

So many images flashed in my head, and I found it difficult to focus on the sounds around me.

Just what the heck was going on?

Where was I?

My lungs burned as though I had been holding my breath for ages, and I quickly sucked in some fresh air.

Immediately my senses began to stabilize and the grogginess started to clear. I was now able to hear the words being spoken around me, as well as recognize the voices.

Melfice's voice spoke first.

"Sakura, you are a genius!"

"Oh I didn't do much. She was already alive; I just gave her a little boost."

There was a shuffling noise, and I sensed someone close to me.

"Kaede, can you hear me?"

Kakashi!

Slowly I tried opening my eyes. The light was painfully bright, and I was forced to shut them again quickly, but after a moment I tried again and this time it was better. I saw just white, but before I could figure out what it was I was seeing, I felt a hand slide behind my head and lift me up.

Someone held me tightly to them, allowing my head to rest on their shoulder while their arms cradled my body.

I took another deep breath and immediately recognized that smell.

"Kakashi. . ."

His grip tightened, and I was sure I felt something wet drip onto my shoulder.

Everything came flooding back to me, and I realized what had happened. I had jumped into battle, prepared to die to protect my brother and Kakashi. But it seems Hannya had other plans. At the last second I had felt her take over my body, thus taking the full force of the two attacks which would have otherwise killed me instantly.

The effect of her powers in my weakened state had temporarily sent my body into shock, making it seem like I was dead. I wasn't aware of what was happening around me, but I could hear Hannya speaking to me. She showed me many things about demons, things I had never known.

There was a way to remove a demon without harming the host.

However, I wasn't interested in thinking about that now.

Hannya was dead, and I was free. I no longer had to worry about being hunted as a Jinchuuriki, and perhaps one day I could help Melfice in the same way.

But right now, I just wanted to be with my one true love. I raised my arms and wrapped them around Kakashi's neck.

"Kakashi."

"Hm?"

"I want to go home."

I could feel him smiling in my hair.

"Ah. Let's go home, my beloved."

**The End**


End file.
